TN woman SP lodges sexual harassment plaint against IG

A woman police superintendent has accused an Inspector General rank officer of sexual harassment and acting on her complaint, authorities have set up an Internal Complaints Committee which would meet on August 23, police said today.

Alleging sexual advances by her superior, an officer of the rank of IG, the woman SP has lodged a written complaint to top authorities, police sources said.

"The Internal Complaints Committee set up as per the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 will look into the woman officer's complaint on August 23," a top state police official told PTI.

The meeting of the ICC, the first after it was re-constituted on August 17 will look into the plaint and go forward in accordance with the harassment prevention law, the official said.

TN DGP T K Rajendran has named ADGPs Seema Aggarwal, Su Arunachalam, and Deputy Inspector General of Police, Thenmozhi and two retired officials as members of the ICC.

In her complaint, the woman officer said she rejected the sexual advances of the senior officer.

She has alleged that she had been subjected to sexual harassment for months and the recent episode happened during the first week of this month.

DMK Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi, in a tweet said, "though it is a welcome move from TN govt to form a Vishaka Committee for Police Department, govt's failure to transfer or suspend the officer against whom allegations are made is shocking."