Chennai: The National Commission for Women, the apex national-level organisation with the mandate of protecting and promoting the interests of women, has reportedly suo motu come forward to investigate the sexual complaints made against an Inspector General (IG) of police.
The charges were made by a woman officer in the rank of superintendent of police (SP), based on which the newly-reconstituted Vishaka Committee of the State police department began a formal inquiry last week.
Today, sources said the NCW has taken note of media reports in this connection and has decided to conduct a probe into the allegations.
“A meeting of its top officials will be held in this regard soon. If needed, the IG will be summoned,” they added.
Last week, the first round of inquiry, headed by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Seema Agarwal, began at the State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB) office in Foreshore Estate.
A source had told ‘News Today’ that during the first round of inquiry, the complainant and accused were not present. Only the committee members gathered to look into the allegation and raised serious questions about it.
The case was probed as per the provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, sources added.
As directed by the Director General of Police (DGP) T K Rajendran, senior IPS officers – Seema Aggarwal and ADGP S Arunachalam apart from Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Thenmozhi – conducted a detailed probe into the allegations.
Retired Additional Superintendent of Police Saraswathi and an administrative officer in the DGP office Ramesh were also part of the proceedings.
The woman SP, in her written complaint, had alleged that she has been subjected to harassment for the past seven months by the senior police official.
The male officer, who has five more years to retire, is said to have called her over phone in the wee hours and even attempted to hug her on several occasions.
Her requests of transfer her to a different wing were repeatedly ignored.
Another allegation she made was that the IG watched porn in her presence despite her objection.
The harassment began when she rejected his advances. The woman officer alleged that the IG threatened to make unfavourable entries in her annual confidential report, it is claimed.