Lady IPS officer who accused senior of sexual misconduct getting threats: DMK MP

DMK Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi on Monday demanded that the sexual misconduct case against an IPS officer of DGP rank in Tamil Nadu be handed over to the CBI.

Last week, Special DGP (law and order) Rajesh Das was transferred and kept in a waiting list after a woman IPS officer accused him of misbehaving with her while on duty.

On Monday, Kanimozhi alleged the woman IPS officer was getting threats. Kanimozhi tweeted, "The sexual harassment case against the DGP has to be shifted to the CBI as we want an independent and fair inquiry into this matter. The officers involved need to be suspended and arrested immediately. Sources say that the woman IPS officer is receiving threats. This is shameful."

Kanimozhi had demanded action in the case early on. Last week, she tweeted “When a woman IPS officer is sexually harassed by a higher ranked officer and the CM takes no notice of it, what hope do ordinary women have in this regime." Her half-brother, DMK chief M.K. Stalin, had threatened protests over the issue.

The lady officer, posted in one of the northern districts of Tamil Nadu, alleged that DGP Rajesh Das misbehaved with her during a tour of Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to the central districts. She said the incident took place in the vehicle of the accused. Although there were several attempts by senior officers in the department to persuade her to withdraw the complaint, she refused to budge.

On Sunday, a case was registered by the Crime Branch CID against Rajesh Das under section 354 (outraging modesty of a woman) of IPC and sections 3 and 4 of the TN Prevention of Women Harassment Act. The Crime Branch will also probe the actions of Chengalpattu SP D. Kannan, who allegedly attempted to intercept the woman IPS officer's vehicle on February 22 when she was travelling to Chennai to lodge the complaint.

Meanwhile, Das had told The Indian Express last week the complainant had political motives.