Supreme Court allows bail to former police officer Rajesh Das in sexual harassment case

The Supreme Court of India allowed bail to former special Director General of Police (DGP) Rajesh Das sentenced to a three years of Rigorous Imprisonment in a sexual harassment case.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant granted relief to Rajesh Das with liberty to the State to approach the Madras High Court for expeditious hearing of a revision petition filed by him against his conviction by a Chief Judicial Magistrate on June 16, 2023, and confirmed by the Villupuram Principal District on February 12, 2024.

In April 2024, the High Court had dismissed a petition filed by Das seeking exemption from surrendering in the case. The High Court had also refused to entertain a plea by him to suspend his sentence.

The charge against the former police officer was that he had sexually harassed a woman Superintendent of Police in February 2021, when they were travelling together in his car on official duty. They were on duty to provide security to then Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami who was campaigning for the AIADMK during the elections to the Legislative Assembly.