Two weeks after the Punjab Police submitted an ‘action taken report’ in the case pertaining to alleged sexual misconduct by cabinet minister Lal Chand Kataruchak to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), the constitutional body asked state government officials to appear for a hearing at its headquarters in New Delhi on July 31.
Taking a strong notice of a complainant who had alleged sexual misconduct by Kataruchak, the commission, on the orders of its chairman Vijay Sampla, on May 5 issued a notice to the government officials concerned and asked them to submit the status report and provide security to the man who was allegedly receiving threat calls from the minister. That notice was followed by two others on May 25 and June 5.
Following this, the Amritsar border range DIG submitted an ‘action taken report’ to the commission on June 12. The special investigation team (SIT) had said that the complainant had retracted his statement and hence no action could be initiated against the minister. The virtual clean chit had created a furore with the opposition alleging that the complainant had withdrawn his statement under duress.
The commission has asked the Chief Secretary, the Director General of Police, and the Deputy Inspector General of Police of the Amritsar border range to appear before it at 11 am on July 31 in New Delhi. It has also asked the investigating officer of the case to attend the hearing.
The commission directed the officials to bring an up-to-date status report and other relevant documents, including files, case diaries, etc. It said the petitioner might also be asked to be present in the commission on the day of the hearing.