EX Tamil Nadu senior cop gets 3 years in jail for sexually harassing fellow woman officer

Suspended DGP of Tamil Nadu Rajesh Das was today sentenced to three years in jail in connection with a sexual harassment case against a fellow woman IPS officer.

A Villupuram court convicted the former special DGP, and apart from three years of rigorous imprisonment, the court also levied a fine of Rs 10,000 on him.

The matter came into the limelight after a woman IPS officer filed a complaint against Rajesh Das in February 2021. She mentioned that the senior police officer tried to make sexual advancement when they were on duty and travelling together for the security of that time’s Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisami.The AIADMK government took the matter seriously, issued a suspension order against Das, and formed a six-member committee to probe the matter to reach the bottom of the case.

However, a total of 68 statements were recorded, including several from policemen. The officer can appeal and seek immediate bail, said a member of the prosecution team.

The entire matter turned out to be a hot poll issue in 2021, and then the leader of the Opposition, MK Stalin, assured the woman police officer that he would provide legal help and punishment to the culprit if his party wins the state assembly election and comes to power.