Sexual harassment: AIG records statement of cop, woman

Gagandeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 19

AIG (Crime) Amrit Brar reached here today for investigating into a case registered against Special Task Force (STF) DSP Harinder Singh Mann, who was booked for allegedly sexually harassing a Bathinda-based woman in May last year.

Brar, along with Bathinda SSP Naveen Singla, reached Circuit House where complainant Kulwinder Kaur and DSP Harinder Singh Mann were also present.

According to sources, the complainant had been accusing the police of inaction after the registration of a case against the DSP.

Later, she met DGP Suresh Arora and demanded that the probe into the case should be shifted outside the Bathinda police zone.

She also demanded that a woman IPS officer should investigate into it. Later, the DGP marked the inquiry to AIG (Crime) Amrit Brar, who recorded the statements of the accused and the complainant.

She didn’t talk to mediapersons and returned after recording the statement. Brar will submit the report to the DGP.

According to police sources, DSP Mann was booked under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 354-A of the IPC on May 5 last year.

After a few days, the Bathinda police removed Section 354 after an inquiry led by SP (D) Bikramjeet Singh.

The case was registered at the Civil Lines police station. DSP Mann, who was then the DSP (City-1), had got bail.

Kulwinder Kaur, a resident of Goniana, had a dispute with her husband and a case was registered against her husband under Section 498 of the IPC.

She had lodged a complaint against DSP Mann at the SSP office in April last year. As per the complaint, Mann had allegedly summoned Kulwinder and molested her in his office.

The DSP Mann declined to comment on the issue.