New Delhi: Former Haryana minister Sandeep Singh has opposed a petition filed by the Union Territory (UT) public prosecutor seeking to amend charges against him by adding IPC Section 511 (attempt) along with Section 376 (attempt to rape), and to transfer the case to a sessions court.
The UT prosecutor had moved an application in a Chandigarh court, arguing that material already on judicial record—including the survivor’s statement under Section 164 of the CrPC and her examination-in-chief—contains clear, consistent, and serious allegations warranting stronger charges.
However, Sandeep Singh’s counsel contested the plea, calling it a tactic to delay proceedings. The defence argued that the accused has been falsely implicated and that there is no evidence to justify invoking Sections 376 and 511 in the present case.
The lawyer further pointed out that the complainant did not mention such allegations in her initial complaint to the police, on the basis of which the FIR was registered. He also noted that a similar application filed earlier had been rejected by the trial court on July 29, 2024, and was never challenged in a higher court, making that order final.
The case dates back to December 31, 2022, when Chandigarh Police registered an FIR against Singh under IPC Sections 354, 354-A, 354-B, 342, 506, and 509 based on a complaint by a former coach.
In her statement, the complainant alleged that on July 1, 2022, Singh molested her at his official residence. She claimed that when she resisted, he pushed her and tore her T-shirt, though she managed to escape.
