The CBI has terminated from service a head constable posted in the headquarters for alleged molestation of a contractual cleaner under Article 311 of the Constitution without conducting an enquiry against the accused personnel.
Four days after the incident that occurred on September 24 at the fifth floor of the state-of-the-art-agency headquarters at Lodhi Road here, the CBI, the premier investigation agency of the country, registered the case on September 29. The CBI is also the National Central Bureau (NCB) that represents India to the Interpol for coordination and correspondence.
Questions are being raised on the propriety of the CBI taking the case itself instead of handing it over to the Delhi police. Interestingly, Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) has been imposed against the only accused in the case.
The order of termination against Head Constable Kewal Ram posted with the Banking Securities and Fraud Cell (BS&FC) of the CBI was issued by the Superintendent of Police (Personnel) on October 5 after he was satisfied that the accused official had “conducted himself in a manner unbecoming of a public servant whereby he attempted to outrage the modesty of a female (name withheld to maintain secrecy) contractual employee of M/s Impression Services Pvt. Ltd.) contracted with M/s NBCC Services Ltd,) on 24.09.2021 when she was attending to the work of cleaning and sweeping at the 5th floor of CBI, HQ Building,” an official said quoting from the termination order.
Ram allegedly “misbehaved with her and inappropriately touched/groped her forcibly,” the official said.
An FIR (First Information Report)/RC (Regular Case in CBI parlance) No. 34(A)/2021dated September 29, 2021 was filed by CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on September 29 under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 354 (outraging the modesty of a woman). Ram was arrested on October 3.
The accused personnel has been terminated from service under Article 311 of the Constitution read with the Rule 11 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Subordinate Ranks) (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1961 after the agency concluded that “it is not reasonably practicable to hold an enquiry in the case for the reasons recorded in writing.”
On the basis of the information available and recorded in writing, the CBI concluded that activities of Head Constable Kewal Ram are such that his continuation in service cannot be maintained as his conduct is not in public interest, officials said.
The SP rank official is the competent authority to dismiss, remove from service or reduce the rank in the case of the accused Head Constable. Accordingly, Verma dismissed him from service with immediate effect and without any pecuniary benefits with regard to his dismissal, official further said.