Haryana Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Sandeep Singh, facing allegations of sexual harassment of a junior athletics coach, gave up his portfolio on January 1, 2023, after a case was registered against him by the Chandigarh Police.
Mr. Singh, said he was handing over the Sports and Youth Affairs Department to the Chief Minister on the “moral grounds” and expected him to take the next decision on the matter after the investigation into the matter was completed. He said an atmosphere was being created to spoil his image and sought an impartial probe into the “false allegations” by the junior coach of the sports department.
The news agency, ANI, quoted Chandigarh Police PRO saying that a case was registered against the minister on charges of outraging the modesty of a woman, wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation, among others.
The woman athlete had held a press conference in Chandigarh this past Thursday accusing Mr. Singh of molesting her at his residence in September. The woman alleged that the minister inappropriately touched her and asked her to keep him happy.
The Minister, later, denied the allegations as “baseless” and “absolutely false”.
Following the allegations, several women and social organisations in Haryana had held demonstration in Rohtak on Saturday burning effigies of the minister and seeking his removal. Former Haryana Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda has also demanded an impartial probe into the matter.
