Haryana minister caught in sex scam, gives up sports portfolio

Chandigarh: Haryana minister Sandeep Singh, a former India hockey team captain,who has been booked in a sexual harassment case, on Sunday gave up his Sports portfolio, saying he has taken this step on moral grounds.

The development came a day after Chandigarh police registered an FIR against the 36-year-old BJP leader on charges of sexual harassment and wrongful confinement on a complaint of a woman junior athletics coach. Singh, dismissed the accusations as baseless and called for an independent probe.

Meanwhile, the woman coach met Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij, who said justice will be done. A for mer Olympian and first-time MLA from Pehowa in Kurukshetra, Singh also holds the Printing and Stationery Department. He, however, has not resigned from the Cabinet.

On Saturday, the Haryana Director General of Police set up a committee after Singh lodged a complaint against the coach, claiming she had tarnished his image. Till the committee gives its report, Singh said, he is handing over his Sports portfolio to the chief minister on moral grounds.He reiterated that the allegations levelled against him by the woman coach are baseless.

"In the matter of complaint made by a lady coach of Haryana against Sports Minister Haryana, a case FIR dated 31.12.2022... has been registered at police station Sector 26, Chandigarh and is being investigated," a Chandigarh police spokesperson said.

Singh has been 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), he said. The woman coach met Home Minister Vij and said she hoped to get justice.On the allegations levelled against Singh, the woman said, "There is a limit to how long you can tolerate something."

"He tried to create such an atmosphere that I was forced to go to him for department work as being an employee of the sports department, I am under him," she said.