MP IAS officer's remarks on Brahmins: Court seeks status report from cops on complaint

Indore, Dec 4 (PTI) An Indore court on Thursday directed the police to submit a status report on a complaint filed against an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer for allegedly making controversial remarks against the Brahmin community.

Local lawyer Shailendra Dwivedi had filed a complaint in the district court accusing Santosh Verma, an IAS officer and newly appointed president of the Madhya Pradesh Scheduled Castes and Tribes Officers and Employees Association (AJAKS), of making derogatory remarks against the Brahmin community.

Hearing the complaint, a first-class judicial magistrate directed the city's Tukoganj police station in-charge to submit a status report by January 20.

As per Dwivedi's complaint, Verma made "indecent, obscene, vulgar, and low-level remarks" about the daughters of the Brahmin community during an AJAKS event in Bhopal last month, which harmed social harmony and created animosity between two communities.

The complainant's lawyer has requested the court to order the police to register a case against the IAS officer under relevant legal provisions and submit an investigation report.

Dwivedi said he had filed a written complaint against Verma at Tukoganj police station, but since no FIR was registered, he had to approach the district court.

On November 26, the state's General Administration Department issued a show-cause notice to Verma regarding his controversial remarks, asking why disciplinary action should not be taken against him for his remarks.

Following the controversy surrounding his remarks, Verma clarified to the media that a small portion of his lengthy speech was selectively broadcast and that he did not intend to hurt the sentiments of any community.

The IAS officer also said that he regretted any "distorted" statement that had hurt the sentiments of any community. PTI HWP MAS BNM