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

New Delhi, Oct 16 (PTI) 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 Delhi High Court observed on Thursday.

The observation was made while the court upheld the punishment of a pay reduction imposed on a 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 enquiry 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 in a judgment passed on September 22 and made available on the court's website on October 14.

While dismissing the officer's appeal against the punishment, the high 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. Upon completion of this period, the reduction would also result in a delay of future pay increments.

The woman in her complaint alleged that during a conversation with her, the officer used certain objectionable words and also entered her house with mala fide intentions. Following her complaint, a departmental inquiry was conducted, and charges were framed against the officer, and the punishment was imposed by the enquiry 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 and, as such, vague, unspecific and that unsubstantial pleas could not be accepted.

The high court noted that the revisional authority believed that the petitioner, being married, was under a moral obligation not to indulge in a relationship with another lady and send vulgar messages.

“Applying the law laid down in the catena of judgments, this court does not find any infirmity in the enquiry proceedings. It cannot be said that the extraneous material has been considered by the enquiry committee or that any relevant material has been omitted to be considered. The principles of natural justice have been followed,” it said. PTI SKV SKV MPL MPL