The Telangana High Court has scheduled July 27 to hear a petition filed by a 32-year-old trainee Indian Police Service officer seeking to quash a criminal case registered against him for alleged sexual harassment and physical assault of a female colleague.
Court Proceedings
During court proceedings on Wednesday, counsel representing the petitioner requested an immediate hearing on the quashing plea, which was submitted on Tuesday. The court adjourned the case to July 27 after the state prosecutor requested additional time to obtain instructions from police authorities.
Allegations and Police Charges
The legal challenge follows a criminal complaint lodged by a 30-year-old woman co-trainee at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy. The Attapur police registered a First Information Report against the accused officer on July 18.
According to the complaint, the officer sent the woman sexually abusive messages via an instant messaging application beginning June 23 and repeatedly made derogatory remarks about her in front of peers at the academy. The complainant stated that he falsely accused her of having a sexual relationship with another trainee, verbally abused her, and attempted to coerce a confession.
The complainant further alleged that on July 9, the petitioner wrongfully restrained her and forcibly moved her to his room. She stated he grabbed her hair, attempted strangulation, held a knife to her neck, and prevented her from exiting. In addition, the officer is accused of secretly recording a private video of the complainant without consent and transmitting it to her husband in a blackmail attempt.
Attapur police filed charges under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita concerning sexual harassment, stalking, assault or use of criminal force to outrage a woman’s modesty, and acts intended to insult a woman’s modesty. Charges were also framed under the Information Technology Act.
Hospitalization and Background
On July 20, two days after the FIR was registered, the accused officer was admitted to a hospital after his brother and acquaintances found him unconscious at a local apartment. While relatives suspected he had ingested a toxic substance, medical personnel reported that a gastric lavage yielded normal findings and described his medical condition as stable.
Prior to his selection for the Indian Police Service training program, the accused officer served as a constable in the Andhra Pradesh Police.
