This Article is From Aug 10, 2023

Goa IPS Officer Facing Molestation Allegation Relieved From Duty

Goa DGP Jaspal Singh told reporters on Wednesday that he has already sent a "report detailing facts to the state government."

Goa IPS Officer Facing Molestation Allegation Relieved From Duty

Goa government's under secretary ordered A Koan report to DGP with immediate effect.

Panaji:

IPS officer A Koan posted in Goa has been relieved of his charge as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and ordered to report to the state DGP following allegation against him of molesting a woman at a night club, officials said on Thursday.

Goa Director General of Police (DGP) Jaspal Singh told reporters on Wednesday that he has already sent a "report detailing facts to the state government". Without naming A Koan, Jaspal Singh said on Thursday that IPS officers should not be judged "based on isolated instance of misdemanour".

A Koan is a 2009-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories) cadre.

In an order issued on Wednesday evening, Goa government's under-secretary (personnel department) Nathine Araujo ordered that A Koan report to the DGP with immediate effect.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had assured "strict action" against the IPS officer, who was accused of molesting a woman at a club in the state on Monday (August 7) night.

Such behaviour would not be tolerated, Pramod Sawant said in the state assembly on Wednesday after Goa Forward Party (GFP) MLA Vijai Sardesai raised the matter in the House.

Vijai Sardesai, without naming the officer, said in the House that a woman hit an IPS officer in the night club when he tried to molest her.

Later during the session, the GFP legislator also alleged that the IPS officer had a track record of "misbehaving" with women.

Vijai Sardesai said he can produce a video clip wherein the IPS officer was seen asking a woman staffer at a casino "to sit next to him", but did not inform when the alleged incident happened.

Meanwhile, DGP Singh on Thursday said "don't judge officers of IPS based on isolated instance of misdemeanor".

Without referring to the incident allegedly involving Koan, Singh took to X, earlier known as Twitter, to hail IPS officers.

"Don't judge officers of IPS based on isolated instance of misdemeanor. They come out of long, arduous and meticulous training to serve the nation. They have sacrificed lives at the altar of nation and are fighting terrorism, insurgency and naxalism and daily crime," the DGP wrote on X. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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