The Union home ministry on Monday appeared to distance itself from media reports that the Centre had received complaints of sexual exploitation against the governor of a state in South India. An MHA spokesperson said he was not aware of any such complaints being received.
The reports have not identified the official or state in question.
Some media agencies had reported that women staffers at the Raj Bhavan had accused the governor in question of demanding sexual favours. Central agencies are believed to be investigating the reports; any adverse findings could result in the official being forced to resign.
In a similar incident last year, V.Shanmuganathan was forced to resign as governor of Meghalaya after nearly 100 women staff at the Raj Bhavan in Shillong complained of sexual harassment to senior Central officials, including the president and prime minister.
N.D. Tiwari was forced to step down as governor of Andhra Pradesh in 2009 after video footage emerged of him in a compromising position with three women.