CHENNAI: A day after the Madras High Court questioned the State government on the delay in taking action against a top police official, accused of sexually harassing a woman IPS officer, he appeared before the CB-CID officials.
According to sources, the officer, who was accompanied by a group of advocates, appeared before around 11 am at the CB-CID complex in the Old Police Commissionerate and answered questions. While senior CB-CID officials remained tight-lipped, sources said the inquiry went on till 4 pm after which he left through the back door. The sources added that the officer was in the process of seeking anticipatory bail amid rumours that CB-CID was planning to arrest him.
The Madras High Court had questioned why the officer had not been suspended yet, but action was taken against the SP who allegedly waylaid the woman officer. The woman officer had said in her complaint that she was stopped by a few officers while she was on the way to file the complaint.
Meanwhile, 19 police personnel from Chengalpattu district were transferred in connection with the incident and this has caused resentment among the police personnel. “How can the department punish somebody in the constable’s rank who cannot, under any circumstances, disobey the order of an SP? Several IPS officers had also questioned the senior command for not taking instant action against the two officials involved,” said a police officer, on conditions of anonymity.
However, he added, three officers, in the rank of SP, had refused to stop the woman officer’s car. “The officers were contacted by the officer because the complainant’s car had travelled across their districts en route Chennai. They were ready to face the heat because they understood depth of the issue,” he said. Several IPS officers are disappointed as how the issue was handled.
“The Election Commission had to jump in to direct the State to suspend the SP. It is sad as how the woman had to use several contacts before her complaint was registered,” said another officer. Soon after the incident, several officers in the TN IPS Association WhatsApp group had allegedly confronted the top police official. A day later, the officer sent a message stating that many group members had been posting derogatory, scurrilous, defamatory and false messages to defame him and that he would take necessary action.