PSI suspended, criminal case filed in harassment case

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru:

The sub-inspector of police, who is alleged to have misbehaved with a woman at the Suddaguntepalya Police Station where she had gone to provide a witness statement, has been suspended and an FIR has been filed against him based on the complaint filed by the victim. According to sources from the police, a criminal case has been filed against the accused officer in connection with the matter. Speaking to News Trail, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South East, Chandrashekhar K Baba said that the victim submitted a written complaint on late Tuesday evening based on which the action was taken against the erring cop.

The DCP also that the officer has been booked under sctions 354A (punishment for sexual harassment) and 354D (stalking) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). A senior rank official is investigating the matter further. "We at the Bengaluru police ensure that the safety of women as well as the safety of citizens is of utmost importance. We have taken the allegations seriously that’s why we did not go with an inquiry but decided to register the criminal case.

A senior ranked police officer has been tasked with the investigation. Once it is complete, we will find if the allegations were true and then we will chargesheet the case accordingly," Ck Baba added. The victim said that she was forced to delete her twitter post by her relatives and the church authorities as they thought that the accused cop might retaliate later. However the woman decided to opt for filing the FIR against the accused after meeting the DCP CK Baba on Tuesday evening. Further investigation is underway. In a similar incident, a police inspector attached to Kodigehalli police station was suspended for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman. Several other officers including constables from different police stations in the city were suspended for dereliction of duty since the last twelve months.