Madras HC adjourns appeal by IPS officer on sexual harassment case

A division bench comprising Justice M Duraiswamy and Justice J Sathya Narayana Prasad granted the request for adjournment despite objections by Advocate General and Special Public Prosecutor but made it clear that there would be no further extension.

Murugan’s counsel JB Abithabanu informed the court that her senior who has been handling the case was unwell and not in a position to argue the case.

However, Advocate General R Shunmugasundaram objected to it stating that the three-year-old case was still pending. “The CB-CID has started the probe and an Internal Complaints Committee was formed to inquire about the sexual harassment complaint. There was no progress in the case during the AIADMK regime,” the AG added.

Special Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohammed Jinnah also recorded objection to the delay, submitting that rules mandate that sexual harassment complaints against the officer should be disposed of within nine months. “However, in the present case it has been dragging more than three years,” he pointed out.

Recording all the submissions, the judges adjourned it for two weeks but added that no more extension would be granted.

In 2018, the woman officer approached the High Court seeking a direction to the government to probe the matter. After the court directed the CB-CID to inquire and form ICC, the woman officer challenged the verdict before a division bench. Then, the court ordered that officers from Telangana should conduct the probe and file a report within six months. However, the Supreme Court set it aside and directed the High Court to hear the matter again.