Gyaneshwar Patil, unnatural sexual harassment attempt challenged

Jabalpur, Nov 7 : The Madhya Pradesh High Court asked the state Chief Secretary to reply why the accused, former IAS officer and suspended Zila Panchayat Bhopal chief executive officer Gyaneshwar Patil was reinstated and promoted with posting of Member, Narmada Valley Devlopment Auhority (NVDA), involved in unnatural sexual attempt on a Panchayat Secretary, under his jurisdiction, and attempts were on to withdraw the criminal case, in which the victim was harassed and tortured and the state police failed to take action against the main accused since, last six months, as per criminal case registered against Patil, on a petition.

The single bench of Justice Ajeet Singh, yesterday while hearing the petition of Village Panchayat Sikandarabad, Secretary Satish Chouksey, in Bhopal Disrict, seeking court directives for high level probe against the Bhopal, Police Authorities, General Administration Department Secretary, Chief Secretary and others for their involvement of saving the accused Gyaneshwar Patil an IAS officer, posted as the CEO of Zila Panchayat Bhopal, from the crimial charges, as registered for the crime under section 377 of CrPc, and was suspended under the intravention by the state Chief Minister Shiv Raj Singh Chouhan, admitted the same, and issued notices to state government.

The court also directed to issue notices to Rakesh Sahni, chief Secretary , Secretariat panchayat deptartment, Superintendent of Police Bhopal(SP), Collector,(BPL), NVDA, Secretary General Administration Dept, accused of sodomy and criminal case registered with Shyamala hill and asked police to file their reply within one week. The court has fixed the date of hearing on 13 November 2009.

Petitioners counsel N K Rahore, submitted before the court that IAS officer Gyaneshwar Patil was posted as the CEO, Zila Panchayat Bhopal in May and on June 18, 2009 and called the petitioner and Panchayat secretary to his official residence of Shyamla Hills, with JNRM Scheme construction work and taken serious note objectiond on it and threatened the Secretary petitioner Chouksey (PSC), for the consequences of suspention, for which the PSC tendered apology to which the Zila Panchayat CEO, asked him to remove cloths and cooperate him for illegal sex, to which the petitioner refused, and was the victim of the sexual attempt made by Mr Patil, and harassment and physical abuse to which Satish restrained and managed to reach the police station after midnight. The counsel contended that though the entire scenario was recorded under the sting operation by a local channel, looking to the activity of the accused Gyaneshwar Patil and his past habit to call the subordinate employees and harass them physixcally with torture and threat, and the same was shown on local channels on next date of registering the criminal case against the said susspended IAS offcier Patil, on June 18, 2009.

He informed that inspite of the serious crime of sodomy committed by Patil, the police failed to arrest the accused as the entire episode was shown on television channels of Bhopal and on next date of release seen by the state Chief Minister Shiv Raj Chouhan he, intervened in the matter and suspended Patil, also removed his posting from Bhopal Zila Panchayat. Mr Rathore informed that inspite of the demand made by the political parties of Bhopal against the state BJP and Chief Minister Chouhan leveling the allegation of support to Patil, CM again intervened in the matter and in order to save the image of the state BJP in this sodomy matter, directed the PHQ to take the action in the FIR registered against suspended IAS officer Patil, registered on the night of June 17,18,2009 and the cassette of the episode was with the DGP of the state, but inspite of the State CM orders the PHQ failed o take any action against the suspended IAS Patil, and also investigate the matter properly, and since last six moths the petitioner is facing the threat harassment, and torture with other political parties putting pressure to withdraw the criminal; case of sexual harassment against the suspended IAS, Patil which are illegal and arbitrary.

The Petitioner challenged the reinstatement of the said suspended IAS officer, Patil by the General administration department which needs the approval and can be done only by the recommendation of Chief Minister and the Union Home Minister.

The petitioner prayed high level probe in the matter of PHQ inaction for investigation against the suspended IAS accused Patil, and promotion of a criminal charges facing officer as the Member of NVDA, and orders for protection and his safety, from the threat he was facing from various corners of political side, inspite of state CM orders.

--UNI

(c) 2009 Published with permission from United News of India.
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