Chadha and son booked for sexual harassment, criminal intimidation
VIDEO ROW Expresident of Chief Khalsa Diwan also removed as vicepresident of Khalsa College
AMRITSAR:The Islamabad police in the district have booked former Chief Khalsa Diwan president Charanjit Singh Chadha, and his son and CKD’s vice-president Inderbir Singh Chadha, for allegedly sexually harassing a woman principal and for criminal intimidation on Thursday.
Chadha and his son faced this action after a video went viral on social media, in which Chadha is seen with the woman principal in an objectionable position.
The woman, who is serving in a school run by the CKD, lodged a formal complaint against the father-son duo.
On Friday, Charanjit Singh Chadha was also removed as the vice-president of Khalsa College Governing Council (KCGC) that manages the historical College here.
In her complaint to the police, the principal had claimed that Chadha made sexual advances towards her. “When I refused to do the same, Charanjit threatened me,” she added.
She also alleged that Charanjit’s son Inderbir also issued death threats to her over phone.
Assistant commissioner of police, investigation, (ACP-I) Tejbir Singh said after getting the opinion of DA legal, Chadha and his son had been booked under Sections 354 (using assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354-A (sexual har- assment and punishment for sexual harassment), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 67 and 67-A of the Information Technology Act.
POLICE GO SOFT ON ARREST
Although more than 24 hours have passed since the police booked the accused, the Amritsar police are yet to decide whether they should make any arrests.
Amritsar police commissioner SS Srivastava said, “Right now, we have booked the accused. We are investigating the matter, recording statements and gathering evidence. After the investigation, we will see if any further action needs to be taken.”
A release, issued by the office of police commissioner on Friday evening, read, “A special team under the supervision of additional deputy commissioner of police-crime (ADCPcrime) has been constituted, which will investigate the case on a daily basis.”
Gautam Majithia, the victim’s lawyer, said, “The police have recorded the victim’s statement. We have also handed over the evidence to them. The sections, which have been imposed on the accused, are non-bailable.
Investigation should go on, but the accused should be arrested first.”
Sources said Chadha had gone underground to evade arrest with the police giving him time to do so.
The daily crime report of Amritsar police mentioned that the FIR was registered on December 28, but the press release reads that the case was lodged on December 29.
Efforts made to access a copy of the FIR proved futile.