Haryana minister Sandeep Singh refuses consent to polygraph test in sexual harassment case

Haryana minister Sandeep Singh on Friday refused consent for a polygraph test in a sexual harassment case registered against him, saying it has no evidentiary value.

The minister for printing and stationery submitted his reply before a court here in response to an application filed by the Chandigarh police, which sought permission to conduct the test.

In his reply, the minister prayed before the court that the application moved by a Special Investigation Team for the polygraph test be dismissed "in the interest of justice".

Singh's counsel said the court has disposed of the application but details of the order were awaited.

The minister has termed the charge levelled against him by a woman athletics coach "false and baseless".

Asked why Sandeep Singh denied consent for the polygraph test, his counsel Deepak Sabharwal said, "We have made three submissions – that a polygraph test has no evidentiary value, it only measures the stress and not the veracity of the answers, and thirdly, it has only been moved to delay the investigations and to harass Sandeep Singh." "Sandeep Singh has rights under Article 20 (3) which he has invoked and refused to take this test," he added.

Singh, a first-time MLA, has been booked under IPC sections 354 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354 A (sexual harassment), 354 B (compelling her to be naked), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

The Chandigarh Police has set up the Special Investigation Team to probe the case and a few days ago, had questioned the woman coach, the complainant in the case. PTI SUN VSD IJT