Non-bailable warrant issued against retired IG Murugan in sexual harassment case

A court in Chennai on Friday (November 22, 2024) issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against retired police officer, S Murugan, after dismissing his petition to discharge him from the sexual harassment case against him.

The charge against Murugan is that while he was serving as the Joint Director of Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) in Chennai in August 2018, he had allegedly sexually harassed a woman police officer, who was at an SP level. The complaint was referred to the Internal Complaints Committee and subsequently, a criminal case was registered by the CB-CID.

Murugan was booked under Section 354 (outraging the modesty of a woman by criminal force) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, among other sections. A charge sheet was filed before the trial court.

Earlier this year, the Tamil Nadu government had allowed Murugan to retire from service on the date of his superannuation, without prejudice to the pending judicial and disciplinary proceedings against him.

When the matter came up for hearing before 11th Metropolitan Magistrate N. Sulthan Aribeen recently, the retired officer did not appear. The magistrate then directed him to appear on November 22.

As Murugan failed to appear on the said date too, the Magistrate said in a brief order: “The accused was absent. The case was posted for framing of charges and specifically directed to appear before this court. Hence, issue a non-bailable warrant.”

Published - November 23, 2024 11:14 am IST