Govt is trying to shield DVAC officer: Stalin

Questioning the composition of the Vishaka panel constituted to probe into the sexual harassment allegations levelled against the official, who holds the rank of Inspector General, Stalin wondered why the government had appointed officers close to the IG to probe the charges against him.

He claimed that one retired woman police officer Saraswathy, instead of a woman representative of a NGO has been appointed as a member of the Vishaka committee headed by ADGP Seema Agarwal in blatant violation of the Supreme Court guidelines. 

An ADGP, who was the camp officer of refugee camp in Ramanathapuram, and another officer who served under the IG in CBI have also been appointed members of the committee, which Stalin said has been set up with the intention to help the officer escape the sexual harassment charges.

While the SC guidelines stipulate that the Vishaka committee should recommend follow up action in sexual harassment charges, Stalin said the woman officer who levelled the allegations has been shunted out of DVAC even before the first hearing of the committee. 

However, the government has created a opportunity to the tech-savvy IG, who also probes corruption charges against the CM, deputy CM and other AIADMK ministers, to destroy CCTV evidences by letting him continue in DVAC as a quid pro quo, Stalin alleged. 

The IG has even been permitted to meet the CM to not only dilute the sexual harassment charge but also the corruption cases faced by the latter and his cabinet colleagues, Stalin added. 

The DMK working president urged the government to immediately appoint an honest officer as joint director of DVAC and safeguard the evidence unearthed against the CM and ministers in the corruption cases.