Haryana minister Sandeep Singh accused of sexual harassment resigns

Chandigarh: Booked for allegedly sexually harassing a woman coach, Haryana minister Sandeep Singh on Sunday gave up his Sports portfolio, saying he has taken the step on moral grounds, and claimed the charges against him were baseless.

The victim, on whose complaint Chandigarh police registered an FIR against the 36-year-old BJP leader on Saturday on charges of sexual harassment and wrongful confinement, met Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij who assured her that justice will be done.

A former Olympian and first-time MLA from Pehowa in Kurukshetra, Sandeep Singh also holds the Printing and Stationery Department and has not resigned from the Cabinet.

The Chandigarh police set up a three-member Special Investigation Team headed by Sub-Divisional Police Officer (East) to probe the case, a police spokesperson said, while adding the SIT includes an SHO of the cyber cell.

A Chandigarh police team also recorded the statement of the woman coach in Panchkula.

After meeting Vij, the complainant said she has been provided security by the government after she raised the issue as she had been receiving threatening messages on her social media accounts.

"I am hopeful of getting justice in the case," she told reporters.

Sandeep Singh, a prolific drag-flicker who was nicknamed "Flicker Singh", was the only one among three sportspersons fielded by the BJP in the October 2019 Haryana polls to taste victory.

The film "Soorma", released in 2018, was based on his life. It was an inspirational story about Singh who was paralysed due to an accidental gunshot on a train in 2006 but came back stronger.

The coach levelled the sexual harassment allegations against Singh on Thursday and filed a police complaint a day later.

On Saturday, the Haryana Director General of Police had set up a committee after Singh lodged a complaint against the coach, claiming she had tarnished his image.

Till the committee gives its report, Singh said, he is handing over his Sports portfolio to the chief minister on moral grounds.

He reiterated that the allegations levelled against him by the woman coach are baseless and called for an independent probe.

"In the matter of complaint made by a lady coach of Haryana against Sports Minister Haryana, a case FIR dated 31.12.2022... has been registered at police station Sector 26, Chandigarh and is being investigated," a Chandigarh police spokesperson said.

Singh has been booked under sections 354 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354 A (sexual harassment), 354 B (compelling her to be naked), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), he said.

The spokesperson added police are conducting a "fair investigation" in the case.

The complainant alleged that the minister harassed her for months between February and November 2022 and she narrated the sequence of events to the Chandigarh police.

"There is a limit to how long you can tolerate something. He tried to create such an atmosphere that I was forced to go to him for department work as being an employee of the sports department, I am under him," she said.

Asked if other women officials in the sports department could have faced a similar plight, she said, "I am being told so but this fight is mine. There are many but maybe they are scared of coming forward. I am sure that they will come forward once this man is put behind bars."

"I have full faith in the law of the land. I am hopeful that Chandigarh police will get to the bottom of things.... My character is my biggest strength and I know that I may be up against a minister here, but I believe I will get justice," the coach said.

State Home Minister Vij said he would speak to Sandeep Singh and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar regarding the matter.

"I listened to what she (the woman coach) had to say. I will speak to the minister and chief minister. Justice will be done in this case," he told reporters.

The woman has alleged that Singh contacted her on Instagram after seeing her at a gym and kept insisting that they meet.

The coach had said that when she met Sandeep Singh at his residence-cum-camp office here with some other documents, the minister molested her, she claimed.

"He took me to a side cabin of his residence... placed my documents on the side table and placed his hand on my foot. He then said when he saw me for the first time, he liked me... He said you keep me happy and I will keep you happy," the woman alleged.

"I removed his hand and he even tore my T-shirt. I was crying and I raised an alarm and though all his staff was there, no one helped me," she alleged.

Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has called for an impartial inquiry into the allegations, while the Indian National Lok Dal demanded that the government immediately sack Sandeep Singh and set up a Special Investigation Team to probe the matter.

Abhay Chautala said it is shameful that a minister had behaved in such a manner.