Khajan Singh faces dismissal from CRPF for 'sex harassment'

New Delhi: The Union government has initiated a process to dismiss Khajan Singh , a DIG-ranked former chief sports officer of CRPF , on charges of sexual harassment levelled against him by some women working in the force, official sources said Friday.

Singh, an Arjuna awardee in 1984, had won a silver medal at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games in the 200m butterfly event, which was India's first medal in swimming at the event since 1951.

A notice for dismissal was issued after the home ministry accepted a UPSC recommendation, sources said. The final order will be issued after taking into consideration the reply Singh has to send within 15 days. Singh, currently posted in Mumbai, did not respond to queries on the matter. Singh had earlier denied the allegations and said they were "absolutely false" and made to "spoil his image".

A probe by an internal committee of CRPF had found him "guilty". CRPF headquarters accepted the report and forwarded it to UPSC and MHA for appropriate disciplinary action.

The officer is facing at least two such charges and the notice for dismissal has been issued in one case. The other case, too, is in progress, the sources said.