Rajpura MLA let off in harassment case

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 9

An inquiry conducted by an IPS officer has given a clean chit to Rajpura MLA Hardyal Singh Kamboj. The officer, in her report, asserted that she was of the opinion that the alleged complaint of mental and physical harassment submitted by complainant -school principal - against the MLA and one Mohinder Sehgal could not be corroborated.

The report was placed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court during the hearing of a petition filed by the complainant. She was, among other things, seeking directions for finalising the proceedings of her complaint.

As the case came up for hearing, Justice Raj Shekhar Attri’s Bench was told that the petitioner was working as principal of a Rajpura school, when a complaint was received against her alleging misconduct. A show-cause notice was issued to her in November 2017, followed by an inquiry against her before her services were terminated with immediate effect. The Bench was also told that the petitioner, in her complaints, alleged that she was sexually harassed by the local MLA and school managing committee member Mohinder Sehgal.

The court, during the course of hearing, directed the school to submit a report on the constitution of complaints’ committee in view of the directions issued by the Supreme Court in this regard. In pursuance of the directions, a report was submitted on the school’s behalf stating that a committee had been constituted and a notice was issued to the petitioner regarding her complaint.

She submitted her reply and the matter was looked into before a report was submitted. The school was represented by counsel Abhinav Oberoi. The state, in its reply, stated that the inquiry into the matter was conducted by Assistant Inspector-General of Police and IPS officer Amneet Kondal.

Dismissing the petition, Justice Attri added that the main relief sought by the petitioner, regarding finalisation of her complaint, had been rendered infructuous as it had already been concluded.

The other prayer for transferring the proceedings from Patiala to some other police district, too, had been rendered infructuous as the inquiry had been conducted by an Assistant Inspector-General of Police.