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Chandigarh, Dec 18 (PTI) Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Monday informed the state assembly that 24 sexual harassment cases were registered in the past four years.
The minister was responding to a question by INLD MLA Abhay Chautala.
Chautala during the Question Hour sought to know “the year wise number of cases of sexual harassment which occurred with women players and the trainers, which came to light/registered by the government from year 2019 till date”.
Vij in his reply informed the House that the total number of cases registered during the period from January 1, 2019, to December 11, 2023, was 24.
The minister said 17 cases are pending before the courts.
Vij said the charges against the accused were not proved in four cases.
Meanwhile, Chautala also raised another matter and hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Haryana government.
He asked why the government had not taken any action against state minister Sandeep Singh, who was last year booked by the Chandigarh Police in a sexual harassment case.
“A woman coach lodged a complaint against the minister, rather than taking any action against him the government has defended him. Chandigarh Police registered a chargesheet against him in the case, but what action did you take against him after that,” Chautala asked during the Question Hour in the ongoing Winter Session of the Haryana Assembly here.
In his reply, Vij informed the House that as far as the matter raised pertaining to Minister of State, Printing and Stationery Sandeep Singh goes, the “jurisdiction of his case falls in Chandigarh” and “his case was registered in Chandigarh”.
“As far as the complaint we had received (from the complainant coach in January), we had set up a committee under Mamta Singh and report of that committee was handed over to the Chandigarh administration,” said Vij.
“As the matter is going on before a Chandigarh court, the matter is sub-judice. I don’t want to make any further comment in this matter,” he added.
Chautala, however, said the matter may be before a court in Chandigarh, but the complaint pertains to a state minister and the coach who levelled the allegations is also from Haryana.
“Rather than giving protection to that coach, she was suspended by the state government…this means you defended the minister,” Chautala alleged.
“Case may be registered anywhere, but if that person is a minister in the Haryana government, should the government not take any action against him. What message will it send out in a state where players win maximum medals for their country?” he asked.
Vij on his part said no one has been defending the minister in the matter.
“The matter is pending before the court and whatever will be the decision of the court, action will follow accordingly. Till the matter is pending before the court, we cannot discuss it here (in the House),” said Vij.
The minister, who was present in the House when the issue was raised by Chautala, has been charged under sections 354 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (assault or criminal force with intent to disrobe), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Sandeep Singh is a first-time MLA and former India hockey captain. PTI SUN AS AS
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