Woman coach, who levelled sexual harassment allegations against Haryana minister Sandeep Singh, suspended

Chandigarh: A junior athletics coach, who levelled sexual harassment allegations against Haryana minister Sandeep Singh, has been suspended from services over alleged violation of conduct rules.

The suspension orders were issued by Haryana's sports department director Yashendra Singh on August 11. The reasons for the suspension have though not been mentioned.

However, official sources told PTI that her services have been placed under suspension over alleged indiscipline and violation of the service conduct rules.

"The services of the junior athletic coach are placed under suspension with immediate effect without prejudice," said the order.

"During the suspension period, she will be entitled for subsistence allowance as admissible under Rule 83 of Haryana Civil Services (General) Rules, 2016..," added the order.

Meanwhile, the woman coach alleged that pressure is being mounted on her for the past few months and said she will continue to fight the case even if her services are terminated. She said she is contemplating to move the court against her "unjustified" suspension.

When asked who was putting that pressure, she said the "media knows everything". "They have suspended me, but have not given any reason for the same. I have been pressurised for many months and this is yet another way to put pressure on me by the government," the coach said.

"And I know the reason why they have suspended me because I am not going back on this case...Let them terminate my services, but I will fight for my rights. I will seek justice from courts," she added.

The coach said that she has been doing her work with "great discipline and regularity".

"But I am not anyone's slave. I am not going back even one step. Let them even terminate my services, but I will fight for my rights," she added.

The coach further said that "if anyone is placed under suspension, under the rules he or she is given a warning".

"They directly handed over the suspension order. On Friday, I was made to wait and not allowed to mark my attendance in register (at the place of her posting). And no official of the sports department told me that I had been suspended. On Monday evening, they handed over the suspension letter at my residence," she said.

"I am a sportsperson. For four months my entry to the (athletic) tracks has been banned, what can be more painful for a sportsperson than this. My basic rights have been snatched by the sports department and the government. But I am capable to fight this battle alone. In the end, truth prevails," she added.

Sandeep Singh, who is presently the Minister of State, Printing and Stationery, is a first-time MLA and former India hockey captain.

He was 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) on the woman coach's complaint last year.

Police had later set up a Special Investigation Team to conduct a probe into the case.

Singh, who gave up the sports portfolio after being booked in connection with this case, had then said that he has taken the step on moral grounds. He had claimed that the charges levelled against him by the woman coach were baseless.

The sports portfolio is presently with the chief minister.