Reinstatement plea of SP Railways dismissed

Official denies sexual harassment charges.

RAWALPINDI:

The Lahore High Court has dismissed the petition filed by superintendent of police (SP) Pakistan Railways (PR), challenging his removal and sending him on forced leave, following the allegations of sexual harassment by lady constables.

SSP Javed Iqbal Khan was sent on forced leave by Inspector General of Railways Police on May 14. Justice Ijaz Ahmed of the LHC Rawalpindi bench dismissed the Khan’s plea seeking his reinstatement  on his post. The court was informed by the Railways authorities that the Supreme Court had directed an inquiry against the SP. This action was taken after about 17 lady constables filed a complaint of sexual harassment against the SSP, which he denied.

Defending himself, the SSP said he had directed the station house officer (SHO) Rawalpindi police to take action against employees for misappropriating 11 radiators from Locoshed, a railway repairing shop.

He said during investigation of the sexual  harassment charges,  he was immensely pressurised to drop the proceedings against the officials. Calling the charges as false he said “After I referred the matter of the radiators’ theft to the FIA, the culprits and their associates started this malicious campaign against me”, the SP said.

Khan urged the court to direct the railway authorities to let him resume his duties as he was retiring in November this year.

However the authorities claimed the inquiry officers have found complaints of the lady constables genuine. Therefore, they said, it was necessary to send the SSP on forced leave as he could hamper the investigation process. The court has asked the SSP to approach the relevant PR authorities as the matter was still under inquiry.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10^th, 2011.