Rajesh Das's act degraded the morale of police force, wrote Madras HC

CHENNAI: Being held the highest post in the police department, former special DGP Rajesh Das's action degraded the morale of the police force, said the Madras High Court while dismissing his plea of seeking suspension of sentence.

Justice M Dhandapani also dismissed the plea of the former DGP, seeking to exempt him from surrendering before the trial court in the case of sexually harassing a woman police officer.

The judge granted liberty to the petitioner to surrender before the court below and file a petition seeking bail.

Further, the judge also directed the trial court to consider the bail petition on the same day and pass appropriate orders in accordance with the law.

The police force is a disciplined force in which the persons holding even the lower posts are required to exhibit the highest amount of discipline and integrity and they should project and conduct themselves as role models for the citizens of the country, wrote the judge.

However, the petitioner being higher in the hierarchy of the police department is alleged to have conducted himself in an indecent manner with his subordinate, including the subordinate being intimidated from not filing the complaint against him.

The offense against women and girl children is on the steep ascendency and this is causing a grave concern for a peaceful life in the society, read the judgment.

Since, the allegations are of such a serious nature and the offense alleged against the petitioner being of a grave nature, outraging the modesty of the women folk, definitely it requires to be handled not unlike other routine cases, wrote the judge.

A case was registered against Rajesh Das under Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act, 1998 alleging that he acted indecently towards a woman officer with sexual intent.

On June 16, 2023, the Chief Judicial Magistrate at Villupuram convicted Rajesh Das and imposed a three-year jail sentence in a case of harassing a women IPS officer.

Aggrieved by the conviction, Rajesh Das moved to Principal Judge, Villupuram. Rajesh Das approached the MHC to transfer the appeal from the Villupuram Principal Judge on the ground that he would not have a fair and impartial hearing of the appeal.

However, the HC dismissed Rajesh Das's plea. Subsequently, he filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court; it was also dismissed.

Hence, the Villupuram district court passed an order on February 12 confirming the sentence imposed by the Chief Judicial Magistrate.