Cop accused of seeking sexual favours

DEHRADUN: Sending shock waves across the police department, a woman has alleged that Kotdwar station officer (SO) sought sexual favours from her to help her out in a case.
Acting on the complaint, SP Pauri Ajay Joshi has removed Pramod Shah from the post of SO Kotdwar and attached him to the police lines. Additional SP Kotdwar Aruna Bharti has been asked to probe the matter.
Giving details, SP Joshi told TOI, “The woman has alleged that she approached Kotdwar police as a few persons were harassing her. But instead of taking action, Shah started calling her up on the telephone and harassed her.”
The complainant further produced a recording of a telephone conversation to substantiate her claims.
Taking swift action, the police removed Shah from Kotdwar police station and attached him to the police lines.
In the one-page complaint (a copy of which is with the TOI), the woman claimed that a few months ago she had sought help from Kotdwar police as some persons were harassing her. In her complaint, she alleged that instead of helping her, Shah sought sexual favours from her.
Asked why she had reported the matter late, the woman alleged that Shah had threatened her from doing so. She said she reported the matter after some social activists encouraged her to raise the issue.
Meanwhile, terming it a “well-planned” conspiracy against him, Shah claimed, “The woman approached me in June 2014 regarding a matter. We registered a case. I don’t have more information on this.”
He denied the charges levelled on him and claimed that he did not have any telephone conversation with the woman.
Swati Negi, president of Trishna Welfare Soceity, an NGO, said, “People approach cops assuming they will help them. If they resort to such activities, who will trust them.”