Former Olympian CRPF DIG Khajan Singh dismissed over sexual misconduct charges

The government has dismissed a CRPF DIG – a former Olympian swimmer – from service on charges of sexual misconduct leveled against him by two women personnel of the country's largest paramilitary force, officials said.

An order from the President of India's office for "dismissal from service" was issued on May 30 against Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and former sports officer of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Khajan Singh Tokas.

The dismissal from service is effective from May 31, the order said.

Singh, an Arjuna Awardee, has served as the chief sports officer of the CRPF and won a silver medal at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games in the 200-metre butterfly event, which was India's first medal in swimming at the tournament since its 1951 edition. in 1988, Singh represented India at the Seoul Olympic Games.

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The final order for dismissal came after the CRPF served two show-cause notices, approved by the home ministry and Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), to the officer over the last few months.

Singh, who was posted in Navi Mumbai under the western sector of the force, had denied the allegations of sexual harassment and claimed that they were "absolutely false" and made to spoil his image.

The show-cause notices were issued against the officer after the home ministry accepted the UPSC's recommendations that were made after a probe conducted by the CRPF found him guilty of the sexual harassment charges leveled against him a few years ago.

The CRPF headquarters had earlier accepted the probe report prepared by an internal committee and forwarded it to the UPSC and home ministry for appropriate disciplinary action.

The CRPF, an about-3.25-lakh-personnel-strong force, first inducted women in combat ranks in 1986. It has six all-female battalions currently with an overall strength of about 8,000 personnel.

(PTI)