Chandigarh Police submits final feport in sexual harassment case against Haryana Minister

After a thorough investigation, the Chandigarh Police has presented their conclusive report in the court of Aman Inder Singh Sandhu, Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), on August 25. The report is in reference to the case involving Sandeep Singh, a Haryana Minister, who has been accused of sexual harassment. The case emerged following allegations made by a junior athletic coach from Haryana against Singh.

The delay in charge sheet filing

The charge sheet has been filed after a lapse of almost eight months from the time the case was initially registered. This lengthy period has raised questions about the timing of the submission. Sandeep Singh is facing serious charges as per the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Section 354 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (assault or criminal force with intent to disrobe), 342 (wrongful confinement), and 506 (criminal intimidation). Notably, the charge of 'attempt to rape' is not mentioned in the charge sheet, which has drawn attention and concern.

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Advocate's response

Deepanshu Bansal, the advocate representing the woman coach, has expressed dissatisfaction with the charge sheet. Despite the eight-month delay in filing, the charge of 'attempt to rape' is notably absent. The advocate plans to contest this omission in court. Earlier, the advocate had pushed for the Special Investigation Team (SIT) examining the case to include the 'attempt to rape' charge in the original First Information Report (FIR).

Coach's allegations and suspension

The woman coach, who made the accusations, was suspended from her services on August 11 by Haryana's sports department director Yashendra Singh. The suspension was reportedly due to alleged violations of service conduct rules. The coach had publicly criticized the delay in submitting the charge sheet, hinting at potential pressure on the police during their investigation.

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Sandeep Singh's position and response

Sandeep Singh, who currently serves as the Minister of State for Printing and Stationery, is a first-time Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) and a former captain of the Indian national hockey team. Upon being charged in connection with the case, Singh chose to relinquish his portfolio on moral grounds. He maintains that the allegations made by the woman coach are unfounded. The submission of the final report by the Chandigarh Police in the court represents a significant development in the sexual harassment case involving Haryana Minister Sandeep Singh. The absence of the 'attempt to rape' charge in the charge sheet has raised concerns and is expected to be addressed in the legal proceedings ahead.