The Madras High Court will take up the case at 2.15 pm today (File)
The Madras High Court on Monday said that it will monitor a sexual harassment case by a woman IPS officer in Tamil Nadu against a high-ranking male colleague. The court had taken up the case on its own today. Justice N Anand Venkatesh ordered no politicisation in the case and said he was "deeply saddened" by the issue.
A senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer allegedly asked the complainant to get into his car and misbehaved with her. She alleged the incident happened while she was on duty during Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami's tour of central districts days ago.
The complaint also states a male senior police officer allegedly tried to stop the woman officer from lodging a complaint. The officer allegedly deployed dozens of cops to stop her car at a toll plaza outside Chennai, who also attempted to take her car key away. They also allegedly tried to make her speak to the officer she has accused of harassment over the phone.
Last the week, the woman officer filed a written complaint against both officers.
The Tamil Nadu government has constituted an inquiry committee to probe the case which includes bureaucrats, woman police officers besides external members from NGOs. The officer under the scanner has been put under wait list but has not been suspended yet. The state government also said that there was no delay in filing a First Information Report (FIR).
Sources confirmed to NDTV that he had been excluded from meetings related to security cover for Prime Minister Modi's visit to Coimbatore last Thursday.
A few days ago, Mr Palaniswami had said: "An inquiry committee has been constituted to probe sexual harassment allegations against the senior police officer. Only after the probe we would know the truth".
DMK Chief MK Stalin slammed the ruling AIADMK and said it's a "shame that the government shields such officers".
"This is peak of ugliness and reflection of arrogance. I bow my head for the woman officer's courage," Mr Stalin added.
Expressing concern, former DGP Letika Saran told NDTV, "It's a huge black mark. You can't say it doesn't happen. It should never happen. It is no, no, no. A capital NO".
On Sunday, DMK MP Kanimozhi also led a protest to expedite action against both police officers.