New Delhi: The Supreme Court has granted an exemption to former Tamil Nadu special director general of police (DGP) Rajesh Das from surrendering in connection with a sexual harassment case in which he was convicted by the trial court.
A bench comprising Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal, in an order passed on May 17, issued notice to the Tamil Nadu government and scheduled the matter for further hearing in July.
The bench said that Das would be exempted from surrendering till the next date of hearing. "Let the notice be issued to the respondent, returnable on July 12, 2024. In the meantime, the petitioner shall be exempted from surrendering till the next date of hearing," said the bench, in its order.
The Supreme Court passed the order on a petition filed by Das seeking exemption from surrender in relation with a 2021, case of sexual harassment of a woman superintendent of police, while on duty. In February this year, the Madras High Court declined to stay a sessions court order, which upheld the conviction and three-year sentence imposed on Das.
The incident occurred in February 2021 when Das and the woman officer were part of the security arrangements of the then Chief Minister, Edappadi K Palaniswami, during an election campaign. The sessions court had confirmed the conviction and the sentence imposed by a trial court on Das.
