Stalin accuses CM of shielding top cop in sexual harassment case

A woman Superintendent of Police of the DVAC had lodged a complaint two months ago with the State DGP and home secretary accusing her boss Murugan of sexually harassing her.

The State police had transferred the sexual harassment case probe to the CB-CID after the Vishaka commission constituted by the State police refused to probe the case.

Urging the government to immediately arrest IG Murugan based on the FIR filed by CB-CID, Stalin said action should have been initiated on the complaint and the IG shunted out of DVAC immediately, but the government had transferred the victim SP, while Murugan continues in the office of joint director of DVAC. 

Alleging that the Vishaka Committee headed by ADGP Seema Agarwal was threatened to give a statement suggesting a CB-CID probe into the issue, Stalin, who is also the president of DMK, said the Chief Minister has allowed the IG to continue in the DVAC in violation of the Vishaka guidelines so that it would help secure a favourable report in the corruption cases pending against him. 

Criticising the transfer of the woman SP, Stalin wondered if Palaniswami was informing the women in the police that their sexual harassment complaints would not be acted upon.

Remarking that the Chief Minister and DGP had violated the Supreme Court guidelines in the Vishaka case by forging an “opportunistic - corrupt alliance” to escape from the Rs 3,120 crore highway contract and gutkha scams respectively, the DMK president said Palaniswami and AIADMK ministers have signed a ‘surrender agreement’ with the IG to save him from the sexual harassment case as a quid pro quo to let them off the hook in the corruption cases. 

Urging the government to immediately arrest Murugan, Stalin also said those who shielded him should be brought to book to inspire confidence among women police personnel.