Judge, lawyer humiliated me, says IAS trainee

BHOPAL: A trainee IAS officer posted in Madhya Pradesh has alleged humiliation by a judge and a lawyer while recording her statement in a sexual harassment case she had filed against an official of the state human rights panel.

Sources said the officer has made a representation to the district magistrate seeking action against a judicial magistrate first class and a lawyer present in the courtroom.

The woman IAS officer who posted her allegations on Facebook refused to comment on the issue.

The 2014 batch IAS officer, posted in Seoni district had filed a complaint against Santosh Chaubey, an ‘aayogmitra’ at the MP Human Rights Commission accusing him of sending her obscene messages. The ‘aayogmitra’ acts as a liaison for the commission in districts. He has since been removed from the position.

The officer wrote that the lawyer abused her on Saturday when she was recording her statement to the magistrate. She claimed the lawyer was overhearing her which made her uncomfortable.

She quoted the lawyer as allegedly saying, “How dare you suggest me to leave, I am an advocate here and you might be an officer in your office but not in the court.”

The officer further wrote, “Such is the state of affairs for women in this country.

When I said to judicial magistrate that he should be careful of presence of other people when a woman is giving statement under sexual harassment case, he said that you are young and that’s why demanding such things. Idiots are lined up at every step and people are highly insensitive towards our sufferings. If you are born in this country, better prepare yourself for struggle at every step.”