Tamil Nadu ex-special DGP Rajesh Das gets 3 years’ jail for sexually harassing IPS officer

CHENNAI: Rajesh Das, a DGPrank officer, arrested, suspended and tried on charges of sexually harassing a serving woman IPS officer of superintendent of police rank, was found guilty and sentenced to three-year jail term by a court in Villupuram on Friday.
The sentence, however, was suspended for 30 days to enable the convicted officer to file an appeal in the high court.
In the morning, Villupu- ram chief judicial magistrate M Pushparani found Rajesh Das guilty on two counts — Section 354 (using criminal force to outrage the modesty of a woman) and Section 4 of Tamil Nadu Prevention of Woman Harassment Act — and imposed three-year jail term each, besides a fine of ₹ 10,000 each.
The sentences will run concurrently. He was also convicted for offences under Section 341 (wrongful restraint) and was imposed a penalty of ₹ 500. The court acquitted the officer of criminal intimidation charges though.

The woman IPS officer had, in February 2021, lodged a complaint with the home secretary and the DGP accusing then special DGP Das of sexually harassing her during bandobust duty when then chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami visited the delta districts. He was arrested and suspended, and the case was handed over to the CB-CID for probe.
The court, however, let off DKannan, another IPS officer, with a fine of ₹ 500. The officer, who was Chengalpet district superintendent of police then, intercepted the survivor-officer’s car in a bid to prevent her from proceeding to Chennai to lodge a complaint against Rajesh Das. Kannan was acquitted of the charges of criminal intimidation. A total of 68 witnesses were examined in the case.