In a recent turn of events, two FIRs have been filed against Chandigarh’s 4 police officers by the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI), alleging aiding a sexual harassment accused. After months of suspicions about the enquiry into the case of the former executive director of a prominent company Anil Malhotra, this action has been taken.
Three active inspectors, Ram Rattan, Satyawan, and Pavnesh Kumar, as well as a retired Superintendent of Police (SP), Roshan Lal, are among the accused officers. Filed under the Prevention of Corruptions Act, the FIRs describe a network of corruption and justice-obstruction.
The case originated in April 2022 when a woman filed a complaint against Malhotra, accusing him of stalking, sexual harassment, and blackmail. However, the investigation into the case faced delays, raising concerns about potential police bias. These concerns intensified in December 2022 when the then-SSP of Chandigarh, Kuldeep Singh Chahal, was unexpectedly repatriated to his parent cadre in Punjab. This repatriation came amidst allegations that the Chandigarh Police were not impartially investigating the case.
Following the repatriation of SSP Chahal and the mounting public pressure, the UT administrator, Banwarilal Purohit, took decisive action, He ordered a preliminary probe by the CBI in January 2023. This probe shrouded in secrecy for over a year, culminated in the filling of two separate FIRs on April 19th, 2024.
The FIRs detail a series of alleged offences by the four police officers. Inspector Ram Rattan( then posted as SHO of the Industrial Area police stations) the current SHO of Sector 31 police station, residing in Police Cooperative Housing Society, Sector 51, and Sub-inspector Satyawan, who lives in Baltana, are accused of accepting undue favour from Malhotra to influence the investigation in his favour.
Retired SP(communications) Roshan Lal, a resident of Sector 28 West, and Inspector Pavnesh Kumar, residing in Sector 46, are alleged to have illegally obtained the complainant’s phone call details, potentially to help Malhotra’s defence. Additionally, the FIRs mention tampering with the seizure memo, a crucial piece of evidence in the case.
On the very same day when these FIRs were filed, the CBI conducted raids at the Sector 31 police station as well as the residences of the accused officers. These raids signal the seriousness of the CBI towards these allegations.
The news of the FIRs has sparked public outrage in Chandigarh. Many citizens have expressed concerns about the erosion of public trust in the police force. Women’s rights organizations have requested that the accused cops be punished appropriately and that a prompt and comprehensive inquiry be conducted.
This incident underscores the urgent need for robust internal oversight mechanisms within the Chandigarh Police. Such mechanisms could help prevent future instances of corruption and ensure that officers uphold their oaths to serve and protect the public. This case also emphasizes how crucial it is to promote a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment throughout the police department and society at large.
