Woman coach sexual harassment case: Former Haryana sports minister Sandeep Singh questioned by police for 7 hours

According to sources, Mr Singh was sent a 41A notice by the police to cooperate with the investigation. According to reports, the police questioned him till 7 pm.

Chandigarh: Haryana Minister Sandeep Singh, who has been booked for sexual harassment, was questioned by the police on Sunday for almost seven hours, the minister's counsel D Sabharwal said today. Speaking to ANI, Mr Sabharwal said, "Sandeep Singh was questioned by the police for almost 7 hours on Sunday. Both his phones were sealed by the police. He has also submitted documents pertaining to the case. He is cooperating with the police and wants a fair probe."

According to sources, Mr Singh was sent a 41A notice by the police to cooperate with the investigation. On receipt of the notice, Mr Singh reached Sector 26 police station at 11.30 am. According to reports, the police questioned him till 7 pm. He has been divested of his portfolio of Sports and Youth Affairs, amid an Opposition outcry in the wake of the sexual harassment charge, but remains a minister.

In December, a female athletic coach held a press conference at the office of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), alleging that the minister, also a former India hockey star, harassed her from February to November last year, through frequent lewd messages on social media and had touched her inappropriately.

She claimed that the minister even threatened her. The Chandigarh police registered an FIR against Singh under sections 354, 354A, 354B, 342, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and initiated an investigation.

Last week, on Wednesday, the police reached his residence and registered a case of sexual assault against him at Sector 26 police station in Chandigarh. During her press conference, the female coach demanded that CM Manohar Lal Khattar sack Sandeep Singh from the Cabinet and set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter.

Following the allegations, Singh, on January 1, said he had handed charge of the Sports Department to the CM, pending the investigation. He claimed that the allegations were an attempt to sully his image.