Former Director-General of Police Rajesh Das, who was convicted of sexually harassing a woman Superintendent of Police, reportedly evaded the police when they went to execute an arrest warrant issued by a trial court.
Mr. Das had sexually harassed the SP when they were involved in security arrangements for then Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami during an election campaign in February 2021. Mr. Das was convicted on June 16, 2023, after a trial by the Chief Judicial Magistrate court in Villupuram and sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman (Amendment) Act, 2002, besides being levied a fine.
Subsequently, the Principal Sessions Court in Villupuram confirmed the three-year sentence imposed by a lower court on Mr. Das, while dismissing the appeal filed by him. On February 12, the Principal Sessions Court directed the trial court to secure him.
On Friday, the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court issued a warrant against Mr. Das and directed the Crime Branch-CID Police to execute the arrest warrant. “Mr. Das was not available in the address already given by him when the CB-CID Police team went to execute the court warrant for his arrest. Searches are on to trace him,” police sources said.
