Around 11.45 on Thursday morning, Justice S.M. Subramaniam of the Madras High Court retired to his chambers for a short break before delivering his order on a batch of cases. A large number of lawyers, intelligence personnel, and journalists waited with bated breath for him to return.
The cases pertained to a sexual harassment complaint filed by a woman Superintendent of Police against an Inspector-General of Police in the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC). Interestingly, the SP was the chairperson of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) on the day she lodged the complaint.
When the judge returned a few minutes past noon to read out his order, he took everyone by surprise. He issued a “strong recommendation” to the Chief Secretary of the Tamil Nadu government to install closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras inside the official chambers of all bureaucrats. This would avoid allegations of sexual harassment and safeguard the interest of women employees, he said.
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, who reportedly said, “an ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching,” Justice Subramaniam also issued a directive to the High Court administration to first install a CCTV camera inside his own chambers within two weeks. The judge pointed out that the police department was promoting CCTV cameras in public places as well as private properties to curb crime. “This being the preaching of the police department to the citizen at large of this great nation, what about the offenders and black sheep in the police offices, chambers and office rooms of the higher officials? What measures are taken to nab such offenders inside the police department and other public offices and institutions,” he wondered.
New head for ICC
As for the case concerning the woman SP, the judge ordered the reconstituted ICC, now headed by an Additional Director-General of Police, to continue the inquiry. The Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department was ordered to move ahead with criminal proceedings and report back on March 6.