Another high-profile molestation case has been registered where a woman IAS officer and a RPF DIG are involved. The woman IAS officer, Vandana Priyadarshi and her sister, who is wife of an IPS officer filed a complaint with the Bihar home secretary, Afzal Amanullah regarding the incident that had happened in the New Delhi-Patna Sampoorna Kranti Express on July 8-9.
The accused DIG, Prem Jit Rawal was reportedly in intoxicated state in the train. According to complain filed, Rawal tried to offend the modesty of the two women when they were sleeping. Later, both women slapped him and snatched his mobile phone.
After the reporting of this news in media, the railway minister Lalu Prasad had given a clean chit to the RPF officer against alleged molestation charges.
Now, the matter has been taken a political color as the minister for women and child development Renuka Chowdhury has extended her support to the two women complainants in this case.
Renuka Choudhary criticised the manner in which the matter is being kept under dark. She has asked how could the accused get a testimonial of good behavior from anybody without even talking to victims in the matter.
Chowdhury said:
We have asked for a detailed report from the state government. If a woman has been molested, the person has to be accountable for his behavior and punishment will be commensurate with the crime. We will not accept any careless methods applied to the case.
The matter has taken a new turn with the involvement of Renuka Choudhary in this case and the railway ministry has opted to remain in damage-control mode now. On Tuesday night, the railway ministry has announced an inquiry into the matter.
The RPF chief has also confirmed that his statement regarding Rawal was actually based on a first round inquiry.
The ministry is also working to save Lalu Prasad from any kind of embarrassment in this matter. The railway ministry is in mood to reveal to media that Lalu had actually relied on the information what he had received by the RPF boss.
Chaudhary has taken the matter seriously and said that no one will get away with such behaviour if the allegation is true.
