DIG molests lady IAS officer, Lalu says no big deal
Prabhakar Kumar / CNN-IBN
Published on Tuesday , July 10, 2007 at 21:28 in Nation section
Patna (Bihar): A top ranked Railway Protection Force (RPF) officer has been accused of molesting two women on an express train between Delhi and Patna.
Premjit Rawal is a senior DIG rank RPF officer posted at Rail Bhawan in New Delhi. Rawal has been accused of molesting Bihar cadre woman IAS officer Vandana Preyashi and her sister on board the Delhi-Patna Sampoorna Kranti Express.
The two women lodged a complaint against Rawal at the Allahabad railway station.
"One woman travelling in the First Class compartment of the train had complained of molestation,"said Vasudev Singh, the Ticket collector on the Sampoorna Kranti Express.
The incident happened in the AC First Class compartment of the train. Rawal was allegedly drunk at the time. Rawal refuted the charges, but what is shocking is that even his Minister feels it's no big deal.
"The Railway DG has investigated the case and given him a clean chit," said Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad.
Vandana is currently posted as OSD to Bihar's Home Secretary and her department is fully backing her.
"On our part we have informed the Railway Board and the DG of the RPF and the Home Ministry about this official allegedly misbehaving," says Bihar Home Secretary, Afzal Amanullah.
What is surprising is that not just Rawal, even the Railways seem eager to sweep this incident under the carpet. More so, when it raises serious questions about the safety of women commuters.