Jitendra Narain, a top official, has been suspended by the Centre after being accused of rape by a lady in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that it received a report from the Andaman and Nicobar Police on October 16 regarding the allegations of sexual assault against the 1990-batch IAS official of the AGMUT cadre.
“As the report indicated the possibility of grave misconduct and misuse of the official position on the part of Sh. Jitendra Narain, IAS (AGMUT:1990), the Union Home Minister directed to take immediate strict action against the officer concerned as per law. Accordingly, Sh. Jitendra Narain, IAS (AGMUT:1990) has been placed under suspension with immediate effect and disciplinary proceedings have been ordered against him,” the MHA said in a release.
“The Government is committed to ensuring zero tolerance towards the acts of indiscipline by its officials irrespective of their rank and status, especially with regard to incidents involving the dignity of women. An FIR has been registered and action in the criminal case is being taken separately by the SIT of Andaman & Nicobar Police,” added the statement.
The complainant has requested in the FIR (No. 165/2022) that CCTV footage from Narain's home should be gathered and that she identify his staff members who should also be interrogated.
In her complaint, the woman said that while looking for work, she met the labor commissioner after being introduced by a hotel owner and that the commissioner then drove her to the chief secretary's home. She said she was offered liquor, which she declined, and that she was assured of government employment. She alleged that the two males then physically and sexually assaulted her.
She stated in the complaint that the assault was repeated when she was called back to the chief secretary's house at 9 p.m. two weeks later. She claimed that instead of receiving the promised government employment, she was threatened with serious consequences if she told anybody about the incident.
According to reports, Narain has claimed in his written denials that the allegations were made at the behest of local officers against whom he had taken legal action as chief secretary and that they were behind a "suspicious" campaign against him. He has stated that he is willing to go to trial and that he will completely cooperate with the police.