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UP govt suspends Kanpur ACP Mohsin Khan, accused of sexual harassment by IIT-scholar
The Uttar Pradesh government suspended ACP Mohsin Khan after a PhD scholar from IIT Kanpur accused him of sexual harassment. The suspension follows a report from a Special Investigation Team. The Allahabad High Court will decide on further inquiry into the case on March 20.
The Uttar Pradesh government suspended Kanpur ACP Mohsin Khan on Wednesday, March 12, three months after a PhD scholar from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-Kanpur) accused him of sexual harassment, police said.
ACP Khan has been attached to the DGP headquarters since the accusations were made.
The action came after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) filed a report, which the Kanpur Police Commissioner then sent to the state government. Taking cognisance of the report, the UP government suspended ACP Khan. The survivor had written a letter to DGP Prashant Kumar last week, seeking action into the matter.
What the letter said
“The accused is in khaki uniform. Due to this, he was not arrested. No departmental action has been taken against him. He took a stay on the arrest and chargesheet from the High Court,” the survivor wrote in her letter.
“Because of the accused ACP, not only has my career been affected, but I am also suffering from mental depression. The hearing is on March 20. I will present my side strongly so that the stay on arrest and chargesheet can be dismissed,” she wrote. She vowed to fight “till the last breath” so that the accused is punished.
What happens next
Khan will remain attached to the DGP Headquarters in Lucknow after suspension. The suspension letter will be sent to the Kanpur Police Commissionerate. The quantum of punishment will be decided after a departmental inquiry into the incident.
The Allahabad High Court is slated to decide whether there will be an inquiry against the senior cop or not on March 20.
Stay obtained by Khan
The Allahabad High Court had in December last year stayed ACP Khan's arrest in the case. The order was passed by a two-judge bench comprising Justice Arvind Kumar Sangwan and Justice Mohammad Azahar Husain Idrisi on a petition filed by Khan.
The high court had also sought a response from the state government on the matter.
What is the case?
A PhD scholar at IIT Kanpur had alleged that Khan, also pursuing a PhD in criminology at the institute, sexually exploited her under false pretence of marrying her.
On December 12, an FIR was lodged against Khan, a 2013-batch Provincial Police Service officer, at Kalyanpur police station on charges of sexual relationship with a woman using deceitful means. Later, the ACP was relieved of his duties in the Collectorganj circle and attached to the DGP headquarters in Lucknow.
In her FIR, the female student whose research focuses on cybercrime, a subject also studied by the accused, claimed their relationship began during their academic pursuits.
Khan concealed his marital status and falsely promised marriage, according to the victim's claims.
A five-member Special Investigation Team headed by Additional DCP (Traffic) Archana Singh has been constituted to probe the matter, police said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Business NewsNewsUP govt suspends Kanpur ACP Mohsin Khan, accused of sexual harassment by IIT-scholar
First Published:13 Mar 2025, 11:33 AM IST
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