Updated on: 22ND MAY 2023 03:46 PM IST | Mumbai
S S NADAR | news@debotimes.in

The IAS officer had filed a complaint that the accused got in touch with her while she was working on relief work during the Covid crisis and “tried to get close” to her.

Days after an IRS officer was arrested for allegedly stalking and molesting an IAS officer, a Delhi court directed that he be released on bail as no “fruitful purpose” will be served by keeping him in custody.

The IAS officer had filed a complaint that the accused got in touch with her while she was working on relief work during the Covid crisis and “tried to get close” to her. She also accused him of allegedly stalking her on several occasions, sending her lewd messages, and assaulting and molesting her at her office on May 15.

According to police, the woman has listed multiple incidents of stalking from 2020 till May this year. An FIR was lodged under IPC sections 354 (assault to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354-D (stalking), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (word/act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).

Following the IRS officer’s arrest, police moved the court for 14-day judicial custody remand. Police also seized his mobile phone and desktop.

The IRS officer’s counsel accused police of detaining him on May 16 and taking him for an MLC without registering an FIR. They also argued that no CCTV footage was found that showed the accused visiting the complainant’s office.

Hearing the arguments, the judge said the accused shouldn’t be kept in custody and that he has “cooperated” with the investigation since the registration of the FIR. The court also ordered that no further custodial interrogation of the accused is required since his devices have been seized.

The accused was granted bail on the condition that he must not contact the complainant or influence witnesses and will join the probe when needed. Issuing a restraining order, the court further said that “the accused shall not be seen within a distance of 500 m from the residence and office” of the woman.

In the FIR, the woman alleged that “during the course of work, (the accused) tried to get closer to me which initially I avoided… My husband confronted the accused… on 31.07.22… I clearly remember giving him a final warning that if he did not stop… stalking me, we would file a police complaint and register an FIR against him”.

The IAS officer claimed the accused stopped for some time but resumed stalking and harassing her this year. “On 06.02.23, he dared to come to my office (in New Delhi) and left a parcel in my name by fraudulently labeling it as an Amazon package… On 09.03.23, he intimidated me by continuously messaging me to meet him… He had the audacity to come near my residence and asked me to meet him near the taxi stand… After that, the accused continued sending me lewd messages. On 20.04.23, (he) came to my office and left another parcel containing material with inappropriate content. This made me very uncomfortable and I was under tremendous mental trauma and agony. I felt intimidated and threatened,” she alleged.

A police officer said, “We are checking phone records, chats, CCTV footage and contacting witnesses. No proof has come on record yet. The matter is under investigation.”