New Delhi: The Delhi Police has filed an FIR on the complaint of a 30-year-old Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) wrestler. The woman wrestler has accused the paramilitary’s chief sports officer and Arjuna awardee Khajan Singh and coach Surjit Singh of sexual harassment, rape and intimidation for over three years. However, Khajan Singh, a DIG-rank officer in the force, has rubbished the allegations by the CRPF constable. The constable has won several medals at national and international levels. No immediate comment was available from Surjit.
According to the FIR, the constable has also accused Khajan and Surjit of running a ‘sex scandal’ in the force. She has alleged that they have ‘many accomplices’.
Khajan won a silver medal at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games in the 200 metres butterfly event. It was India’s first medal in swimming at the event since the 1951 edition. “These allegations are absolutely false. This has been done just to spoil my image,” Khajan said.
The FIR registered at Baba Haridas police station December 3. In it the complainant alleged that the two sexually harassed female constables. They later used them as ‘their accomplice’. The woman has said that she joined the CRPF in 2010.
“They secretly took my nude photos while having bath. I was blackmailed through these photographs. They threatened that if I do not talk to them, they would circulate my photos on the internet, the constable alleged.
CRPF spokesperson Moses Dhinakaran acknowledged that a rape complaint has been filed. “FIR of rape charges has been filed against Khajan Singh, DIG, by a constable woman. CRPF has taken a serious note of the complaint. It has already constituted an Internal Compliant Committee headed by an Inspector General level officer to conduct an enquiry,” Dinakaran said. “As far as FIR is concerned, the department will facilitate the investigation agency in all respects,” the spokesperson said.
Khajan was bestowed the Arjuna award in 1984. Hugely successful at the national level, Khajan held the 100m freestyle national record. He also clinched multiple gold medals at the South Asian Games (then known as South Asian Federation Games) in 1984 and 1989.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka), Santosh Kumar Meena, said, “As per the complaint received, we have registered a case and an investigation is underway.” Police said the statement of victim is yet to be taken because she is currently out of station.
The complaint also stated that both Khajan and Surjit allegedly harassed her through show cause notices.
The FIR also stated that in March 2014, the woman constable had filed a formal complaint with the CRPF Inspector General. However, she was allegedly forced by the accused to withdraw it. It also stated that the woman wrestler had also written a letter to the National Commission of Women (NCW) chairperson seeking action against the two.