Sexual harassment FIR: Haryana minister Sandeep Singh gives up Sports portfolio

The FIR against Singh, a former Olympian, was registered at the Sector 26 police station Saturday night on charges of stalking, illegal confinement, sexual harassment and criminal intimidation. A spokesperson for Chandigarh Police said, “In the matter of a complaint made by a woman coach of Haryana against the Haryana Sports Minister, an FIR under sections 354, 354A, 354B, 342, 506 of the IPC has been registered at the Sector 26 police station, Chandigarh. It is being investigated by an SIT.”

A senior officer told The Indian Express that the case involves “cyber forensic investigation”. “The woman… reported to police that Sandeep Singh had communicated with her through Snapchat, WhatsApp, etc., and later deleted the conversations,” he said, adding that the police will examine the cell phones of both.

Sandeep Singh, meanwhile, rejected the woman’s allegations against him, describing them as baseless even as protests were held against him in parts of the state. “An atmosphere has been created to spoil my image. A junior coach has levelled false allegations. I want a proper investigation, which is also underway. On the basis of humanity and moral grounds, I hand over my sports department to the Chief Minister who may take the next decision after the inquiry report,” he told the news agency ANI.

Later, the complainant met Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij in Ambala and accused Singh of harassing her “officially, mentally and physically”. She also said that she would not join the investigation as long as Singh remained a Minister.

Vij said,“I have listened to her carefully. I will speak to the minister (Sandeep Singh) and the Chief Minister also. We will do justice in this case.” Asked about the woman’s demand for a CBI probe, Vij said, “Our work is to ensure justice to all.”

On Friday, the woman, an international-level athlete who coaches juniors in the state, had submitted a police complaint against Singh at the Chandigarh Police headquarters.

The complaint was registered a day after the woman levelled the allegations against Singh during a press conference held at the residence of the Opposition INLD leader Abhay Chautala in Chandigarh.

On Sunday, Chautala said: “The Minister has no right to remain in the Cabinet even for a minute. The Chief Minister should have taken his resignation the moment the coach levelled the allegations.”

Congress leader and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda sought a free and fair probe. “If the complainant is not satisfied with the inquiry, there should be a judicial probe,” Hooda told The Indian Express.

According to the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), protests were held on its call in 11 districts of Haryana Saturday, seeking the removal of the minister. AIDWA vice-president Jagmati Sangwan, a former international volleyball player, said no fair probe is possible without sacking the minister.

Sandeep Singh’s political career took off in 2019 after he won the Haryana Assembly election from Pehowa on a BJP ticket and became a minister. He earlier had a turbulent career in hockey, including two years off the field due to a spinal injury after he was accidentally shot by a Railway Protection Force guard days before the 2006 World Cup.

Two years later, he returned to play for India at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup where he emerged as the top scorer with nine goals. The same year, he was appointed the team’s captain. Under his captaincy, India won the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in 2009 and made it to the London Olympics in 2012.

In 2018, a biopic on Singh’s life, ‘Soorma’, starring Diljit Dosanjh, was released in theatres and achieved moderate success in the box office.

(With Saurabh Parashar & Nitin Sharma)