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Chandigarh

Coach, who accused ex-Haryana minister of sexual harassment, records statement

IANS | January 04, 2023 04:25 PM

CHANDIGARH: The junior athletics coach, who has accused former Haryana sports minister Sandeep Singh of sexual harassment, on Wednesday recorded her statement before the magistrate here under Section 164 of the CrPC.

The victim arrived at the District Court Complex, Sector 43, and recorded the statement.

Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which recovered the statement of the victim on Tuesday, visited the residence of Sandeep Singh's official residence here to investigate the case.

Former Sports Minister and Olympian Sandeep Singh on Sunday stepped down after being booked by the Chandigarh Police for sexually harassing junior athletics coach.

Former captain of the Indian national hockey team, Sandeep Singh has rubbished the charges as "politically motivated".

"I hope there will be a thorough investigation into the false allegations levelled against me. I hand over the responsibility of the Sports department to the CM until the report of the investigation comes out, " he had told the media here.

The first information report (FIR) against the 36-year-old minister, who is also a former Indian hockey team captain and a first-time MLA, was registered on Saturday.

Acting on the complaint, an FIR under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354-A (sexual harassment), 354-B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered. The case is being investigated at the Sector 26 police station here.

The coach from Haryana has levelled allegations of sexual harassment against the minister and filed a police complaint a day later.

The woman, who participated in the 2016 Rio Olympics, was recruited as a junior coach in the Sports Department in September.

In her complaint, she alleged Sandeep Singh sent her messages on Instagram and Snapchat.

"On July 1, he made a Snapchat call and asked me to visit his residence in Sector 7, Chandigarh, for verification of documents. Around 6.50 p.m., he called me to his office and molested me. My T-shirt was torn. I managed to push him aside and ran out of the room as the door was unlocked, " she alleged.

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