A grab of The Telegraph report on the December 26 news conference where Raj Kaur accused JS Jaswal of sexual harassment

Chandigarh, Jan. 3: Police here have lodged an FIR against retired brigadier J.S. Jaswal for sexually harassing the widow of a martyr.

The case was registered under Sections 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (outraging the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code.

On December 26, a sobbing Raj Kaur, the widow of Havildar Gurmail Singh, told reporters that Jaswal, the director of the Punjab Sainik Welfare Board, had sexually abused her and also “tried to compel me into having physical relations with him”.

Singh, who was killed in action during Operation Rhino in Assam on August 22, 1997, was posthumously awarded the Sena Medal.

“I can either succumb to Jaswal’s advances or commit suicide. I have no other option,” she wept at the Chandigarh Press Club in the presence of All-India Anti-Terrorist Front chairman M.S. Bitta.

Raj, a mother of two, had joined as a clerk in the welfare board office on December 5, 2000. The trouble started soon after Jaswal’s appointment three years later, she said. “Since then, he has been asking me to go out with him, sit on his lap.”

The widow alleged that despite performing her duties “honestly”, Jaswal made “adverse remarks” in her annual confidential report (ACR) for 2004 and the year after when she turned him down. “When I protested, he told me that he had all powers to re-write my ACR provided I concede to his demands,” she said.

Kaur also accused the officer of showing her pornographic material. Jaswal had roped in his personal assistant Surinder Kaur as his accomplice, she added.

Raj told reporters that she had lodged two complaints against the brigadier with the secretary, defence services welfare, Punjab, Geetika Kalha, on September 22 and 29. But no action was taken.

After the news conference on December 26, Bitta accompanied Raj to the office of Chandigarh senior superintendent of police Gaurav Yadav, who launched an investigation.

Another employee of the sainik welfare department, Margaret Gill, and her daughter Seem have levelled similar charges against Jaswal. “We will be probing their allegations, too,” an officer said.

The police said Jaswal has obtained anticipatory bail till January 6.