Sending vulgar messages to woman colleague unbecoming of uniformed officer: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court has observed that a married uniformed officer indulging in a relationship with another woman and sending her vulgar messages is “unbecoming of an officer of a uniform force”.

The observation was made by the court while upholding the punishment of a pay reduction imposed on a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) sub-inspector, who faced allegations of sexually harassing a female colleague by sending her inappropriate messages and making harassing phone calls.

“As correctly pointed out in the inquiry proceedings and the revisional authority, the petitioner, being a member of a Uniform Service, was already married and had no business to indulge in a relationship with another lady and send vulgar messages. This conduct is definitely unbecoming of an officer of a Uniform Force,” a Bench of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Vimal Kumar Yadav said.

‘Treated lightly’

While dismissing the officer’s appeal against the punishment, the court stated that the penalty was appropriate considering the misconduct and mentioned that he had been treated “very lightly”.

The punishment consisted of a pay reduction for two years, during which he would not receive any pay increments.

The woman, a Sub-Inspector of the CISF, who was working in the same unit with the accused, alleged that he had “sexually harassed her by sending her vulgar messages on WhatsApp and had also harassed her through mobile calls”.

Following her complaint, a departmental inquiry was conducted, and charges were framed against the officer, and the punishment was imposed by the inquiry committee.

The revisional authority rejected the plea of the officer, holding that his allegation regarding non-consideration of his defence version was not supported by any specific details.

“Applying the law laid down in the catena of judgments, this court does not find any infirmity in the inquiry proceedings. It cannot be said that the extraneous material has been considered by the inquiry committee or that any relevant material has been omitted to be considered. The principles of natural justice have been followed,” the court said in the judgment passed on September 22 and made available on the court’s website on October 14.