IAS officer granted bail in molestation case

A senior IAS officer in the Uttar Pradesh government, who was arrested on charges of attempt to rape and molesting a Delhi-based woman in a train, was on Wednesday granted interim bail by a Lucknow court.

Sessions Judge K K Sharma granted interim bail to IAS officer Shashi Bhushan Sushil up to October 10 on an application moved on his behalf, court sources said.

Sushil, special secretary in the Technical Education Department, was arrested on Monday and a case under Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) was lodged against him following a complaint by the woman, said a Government Railway Police official.

The 2001-batch officer was also booked under Indian Penal Code sections 376 (rape), 511 (attempt to commit offence) and 506 (criminal intimidation) under which he can be imprisoned for life.

According to the FIR lodged by the mother of the woman travelling with her, the officer, who boarded the second AC coach from Ghaziabad, indulged in obscene acts and the conductor and train escorts were duly informed.

The FIR was lodged with the GRP by the woman.

Bhushan was detained after the train reached Charbhagh railway station and the police interrogated him for four hours before arresting him.

Refuting the molestation charge, the officer claimed that he had got into a verbal duel with the woman after she made a casteist remark against him. The officer was later suspended by the Uttar Pradesh government.

The government has also removed Inspector Anil Rai, who allegedly tried to delay the matter and impose less stringent sections in the FIR, though the home department refuted the charges.

Sushil was later produced before a local court which remanded him in judicial custody for 14 days.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had said that no one would be spared and strict action would be taken against those showing disrespect to women.