Tamil Nadu woman SP lodges sexual harassment complaint against IG

CHENNAI: A woman police superintendent has accused an Inspector General rank officer of sexual harassment and an Internal Complaints Committee would meet on August 23 to

look into her complaint, police said on Tuesday.

Alleging sexual advances by her superior, an officer of the rank of IG, the woman SP has

lodged a written complaint to top authorities, police sources said.

“The Internal Complaints Committee set up as per the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Pro- hibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 will look into the woman officer’s complaint on August 23,” a top state police official said.

The meeting of the ICC, the first after it was re-constituted on August 17 will look into the plaint and go forward in accordance with the harassment prevention law, the official said.

TN DGP T K Rajendran has named ADGPS Seema Aggarwal, Su Arunachalam, and Deputy Inspector General of Police, Thenmozhi and two retired officials as members of the ICC.

In her complaint, the woman officer said she rejected the sexual advances of the senior officer.

She has alleged that she had been subjected to sexual harassment for months and the recent episode happened during the first week of this month.

DMK Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi, in a tweet said, “though it is a welcome move from TN govt to form a Vishaka Committee for Police Department, govt’s failure to transfer or suspend the officer against whom allegations are made is shocking.”

The continuance of the officer in the same post, would lead to “destruction of evidence and derail the Vishaka probe,” she said.

The Supreme Court had in a landmark judgment in 1997 in the “Vishakha vs State of Rajasthan,” case issued guidelines to prevent sexual harassment of women in work places.

Incorporating the guidelines, known as ‘Vishakha guidelines,” the 2013 law was adopted by Parliament with added provisions to prevent harassment of women at workplace.