On Monday(29th July), court framed charges against former Haryana minister and BJP leader Sandeep Singh in a sexual harassment case filed by a junior woman coach. The court also dismissed Singh’s discharge application, according to the complainant’s counsel, Deepanshu Bansal.
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CHANDIGARH: A court in Haryana has formally framed charges against former Haryana minister and BJP leader Sandeep Singh in connection with an alleged sexual harassment case. The case originated from a complaint lodged by a junior woman coach, highlighting serious accusations against the politician.
On Monday(29th July), the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Rahul Garg moved forward with the charges against Singh. The court also rejected a discharge application filed by Singh, according to the complainant’s counsel, Deepanshu Bansal.
“Charges have been framed against Singh under the Indian Penal Code sections 354 (assault or use of criminal force with intent to outrage a woman’s modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (word, gesture, or act intended to insult a woman’s modesty).”
-Bansal explained.
The junior woman coach had brought the allegations of sexual assault against Sandeep Singh, a former Indian hockey captain. Despite the serious nature of the charges, Singh has consistently maintained his innocence.
“He has been falsely accused in the case,”
-Singh stated.
The complaint was initially registered on December 31, 2022, at the Sector-26 police station in Haryana. At the time, Singh was a first-time Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) and serving as a minister.
The court also addressed the complainant’s request to include section 376 (rape) in the case. However, this plea was dismissed. The court has set August 17 as the next date of hearing for the ongoing legal proceedings.
The accusations against Singh stem from the complainant’s account of events that allegedly involved sexual misconduct. These allegations have led to significant legal scrutiny and public attention, particularly given Singh’s prominence as both a political figure and a former sports icon.
The charges framed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code reflect the gravity of the accusations. Section 354 pertains to assault or use of criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty. Section 354A deals with sexual harassment, while Section 354B addresses assault or criminal force with the intent to disrobe. Sections 506 and 509 cover criminal intimidation and actions intended to insult the modesty of a woman, respectively.
Despite the legal proceedings, Singh’s defense team continues to argue for his innocence. The dismissal of the discharge application indicates that the court finds sufficient grounds to proceed with the trial based on the evidence and testimonies presented so far.
The court has scheduled the next hearing for August 17.
