Villupuram: The Tamil Nadu former DGP Rajesh Das sentenced to three year jail by a Trial Court on Friday.  He was facing a case for sexually harassing a young woman IPS officer in the year 2021. Villupuram Chief Judicial magistrate M Pushparani, imposed a fine of Rs 20,500 on Das, granted him bail, and gave him time to file an appeal against the verdict within 30 days at the Villupuram Principal District Court.

Former Chengalpattu SP S Kannan, who was convicted for helping Das in preventing the woman officer from lodging a complaint, was imposed a fine of Rs 500 for wrongful restraint. The court acquitted him of all other charges, including criminal intimidation.

According to police sources, the victim was on duty during the visit of then CM  K Palaniswami to Namakkal. Rajesh Das, who was in charge of the security, invited the victim to travel with him in his vehicle when he misbehaved with her. The victim objected to his behaviour and got out of the car at Ulundurpet tollgate. The next day, she set off to Chennai in a car to meet the Home Secretary on the issue.

According to sources, the Trial Court awarded Das a three year jail term and Rs 10,000 fine under IPC section 354 A (ii), and three-year jail and Rs 10,000 fine under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act. He was also fined Rs 500 on charges of wrongful restrain under IPC 341. The Court ruled the jail terms to run concurrently.

According to the official sources said CCTV footages from Ulundurpet tollgate and Parandur tollgate corroborated the victim’s complaint and attempts made to stop her from reaching Chennai. Das was initially placed under compulsory wait and downgraded by the Government before he was placed under suspension. Rajesh Das will retire from service in less than three years. So far no departmental action has been initiated against him, sources said. Kannan is currently serving as Superintendent of Police, Automation, at the DGP Office in Chennai.