SNS demands police action, removal of Khaling as CM’s political secy

GANGTOK, : The Sikkimey Nagarik Samaj (SNS) on Saturday demanded dismissal of Jacob Khaling as the Chief Minister’s political secretary following a purported letter complaint posted to Sikkim Police with molestation allegations.

Addressing a press meet here on Saturday, SNS spokesperson Passang Sherpa claimed that a letter FIR against Khaling had been posted to the SP (east) by the victim on June 6.

In the letter, the victim has accused Jacob Khaling of sexually harassing her and outraging her modesty. The alleged incident had taken place last November.

As per the FIR letter made public by SNS, the victim had been threatened by the accused after the alleged incident and it took a long time for her to find courage to lodge the complaint.

“The victim had gone to Gangtok Sadar police station to lodge her complaint on July 5 but shockingly, no action was initiated by the police as the accused is a person holding a high post in the government. The victim was kept waiting by the police and no immediate action was taken. On July 6, she sent her letter complaint to the SP (east). Even then, no action was taken against the accused who should have been immediately arrested. However, no action is visible even after one month of the complaint,” said the SNS spokesperson.

Passang maintained that the allegations made are non-cognisable offences which warrant immediate police action. “If a similar allegation had been made against anyone else, police would not have wasted time asking the views of the victim. They would have immediately gone and arrested the accused person,” he said.

“The Sikkimey Nagarik Samaj demands that the accused should be dismissed from his post till investigations clear him from the allegations. It would be injustice to have a person holding a post so close to the State head. Police should also take up the complaint seriously and initiate action,” said Passang.

To a question, Passang said: “We don’t want to go into the details about the victim. Our only concern is that a FIR has been made against a person who holds a very senior post in Sikkim government and police did not take any action. What is the secret behind this? Our question is on the police, administration, government and the political party which is ruling Sikkim.”

Passang said the SNS has also contacted the DGP on the matter.

The SNS added that it boycotted a meeting of a State government-appointed committee on examining Companies Act scheduled on Saturday as Khaling was also invited for the meeting.

SNS president Bharat Basnett and chief patron Tseten Tashi Bhutia were also present in the press meet.