An FIR was registered against former Delhi chief secretary Omesh Saigal at Hauz Khas police station on Saturday after a 55-year-old woman accused him of harassing her during her swimming sessions.
The woman, a member of Delhi’s Panchshila Club, alleged that Mr. Saigal would harass her by frequently bumping into her while swimming at the club’s pool.
Mr. Saigal, who is the president of the club, dismissed the allegations as “totally false” and has alleged that it was the woman who had hit his leg during a recent swimming session.
“I have already served a defamation notice on the complainant for calling me uncivilised. If she does not apologise I will pursue a criminal case against her,” Mr Saigal said.
Swimming lane
“A case under IPC section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) has been registered at Hauz Khas police station,” said Nupur Bhardwaj, Additional DCP (South).
The officer said that the FIR pertains to an incident that took place on June 18.
But the woman has alleged that a similar incident involving the club president took place even in the past.
The June 18 incident was over swimming lanes. Mr. Saigal allegedly entered the woman’s lane and told the woman to move to another lane. That resulted in a confrontation during which Mr. Saigal allegedly misbehaved with the woman. She brought the incident to the notice of the club before the Delhi Commission of Women took it up on her behalf.
