Chandigarh: 4 Khap representatives meet DGP, seek action against Sandeep Singh

Jan 24, 2023

Chandigarh (Haryana) [India], January 24 : The representatives of four Khap panchayats and the father of the woman coach, who accused Sports Minister Sandeep Singh of harassment, met the Chandigarh DGP on Tuesday.
The Khap representatives while speaking to the press said, "The Director General of Police (DGP) assured that the investigation is going on and as soon as the report comes out, we'll act on it."
They also revealed that the former minister wouldn't be allowed to hoist the national flag on Republic Day. They levelled some serious allegations against Singh.
One of the representatives, Dhankad Yuddhveer, while speaking to the press stated, "We feared pressure from the Haryana government in the investigation. The DGP assured us that there is no pressure and the investigation is going on."
"We have formed a committee including all the Khaps in Haryana. We will discuss our meeting with the DGP with fellow representatives and will back our daughter," said the Khap representative Yuddhveer.
The woman coach's father while speaking to ANI said, "We have been assured by the DGP that the investigation report will be made soon. We are fighting for all the daughters like my daughter who have been working in the sports field."
Earlier on Monday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Gupta wrote to Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya and sought the removal of Sports Minister Sandeep Singh, who is accused of harassing a woman coach, from the state cabinet. He also demanded to prevent him from hoisting the flag on Republic Day.
In his letter to Governor, Gupta wrote, "Sandeep Singh, a Minister in Haryana, is facing a criminal case for outraging the modesty of a woman coach. An agitation is going on in Haryana for his removal from Haryana Cabinet. But now a new unfortunate and awkward situation has arisen because the State Government has allotted him Pehowa in Kurukshetra District to unfurl the Tricolour on the Republic Day."
Last month, a woman, who is a junior athlete coach, alleged that the then sports minister harassed her from February to November last year, by repeated messages on social media and had touched her inappropriately and also threatened her in messages.
Chandigarh Police have registered an FIR against Sandeep Singh under sections 354, 354A, 354B, 342, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and initiated the investigation.
Following the allegations, Sandeep Singh on January 1 said that he handed over the responsibility of the Sports Department to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar until the report of the investigation is out and further added that the allegations have been levelled against him to spoil his image.