ACB SP booked for sexual harassment

NAGPUR: Nagpur police booked the senior police officer, PR Patil, after getting a formal complaint from the 28-year-old young police constable. RAVINDRA KADAM, joint police commissioner (Nagpur city)

A Nagpur-based police superintendent with Maharashtra’s anti-corruption bureau (ACB) has been booked for alleged sexual harassment of a 28-year-old police constable.

ACB chief Sanjay Barve gave the go-ahead for booking PR Patil after an internal inquiry found him guilty. A probe panel under a Mumbai-based woman officer’s supervision had earlier been constituted after the constable first filed a complaint with the ACB’s special committee against sexual harassment of women at the workplace as per the Supreme Court’s 1997 Vishaka guidelines.

Patil has been heading a special investigation team probing the ~70,000-crore irrigation scam involving alleged rigging of tenders for irrigation projects to favour certain contractors.

Former deputy chief minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar and ex-Maharashtra water resources minister Sunil Tatkare are facing probe in connection with the scam.

“The city [Nagpur] police booked the senior police officer [Patil] after getting a formal complaint from the 28-year-old young police constable,” said joint police commissioner (Nagpur city) Ravindra Kadam.

Nagpur police commissioner Bhushan Kumar Upadhyaya said the assistant police commissioner (Sitabuldi division) will probe the case under zonal deputy police commissioner Chinmay Pandit’s supervision.

According to the constable’s complaint, she was targeted after Patil took charge of ACB’s Nagpur unit in August 2017. It said the harassment continued until October 12 and prompted her to lodge the complaint. She accused Patil of often passing objectionable, suggestive remarks, inviting her repeatedly to his bungalow, resthouse, and hotels besides sending her lewd and obscene messages. She has accused Patil of demanding sexual favours.

The constable alleged Patil also tried to defame her and accused her of having an intimate relationship with a police inspector she reported to. She accused Patil of threatening her with dire consequences, including transfer to her parent unit, Nagpur (rural) police, when she resisted his advances. The constable alleged Patil also maligned her by pointing fingers at her character. The woman, who joined police around two years ago, was posted with ACB on deputation.

Repeated attempts to reach Patil for comments were unsuccessful. His mobile number was switched off.