Haryana Minister Sandeep Singh gives up Sports portfolio on moral grounds
   Date :02-Jan-2023

Sandeep Singh 
 
 
CHANDIGARH, 
HARYANA Minister Sandeep Singh, who has been booked in a sexual harassment case, on Sunday gave up his Sports portfolio, saying he has taken this step on moral grounds.
The development came a day after Chandigarh police registered an FIR against the 36-year-old BJP leader on charges of sexual harassment and wrongful confinement on a complaint of a woman junior athletics coach from the State.
Singh, however, has dismissed the accusations as baseless and called for an independent probe.
On Sunday, Singh said he has given up the Sports portfolio.
A former Olympian and first-time MLA from Pehowa in Kurukshetra, Singh also holds the Printing and Stationery Department. He, however, has not resigned from the Cabinet. On Saturday, the Haryana Director General of Police set up a committee after the Minister lodged a complaint against the coach, claiming she had tarnished his image. Till the
committee gives its report, Singh said, he is handing over his Sports portfolio to the Chief Minister on moral grounds. He reiterated that the allegations levelled against him by the woman coach are baseless.
“In the matter of complaint made by a lady coach of Haryana against Sports Minister Haryana, a case FIR dated 31.12.2022... Has been registered at police station Sector 26, Chandigarh and is being investigated,” a Chandigarh police spokesperson said. Singh has been booked under sections 354 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354 A (sexual harassment), 354 B (compelling her to be naked), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the spokesperson said.
The junior athletics coach levelled the sexual harassment allegations against Singh on Thursday and filed a police complaint a day later. After receiving a complaint from the woman coach, Chandigarh police had earlier said an inquiry will be conducted into the allegations against the Minister