Former special Director General of Police (DGP) Rajesh Das, accused of sexual harassment, was left in the dark after electricity supply to his house in Tamil Nadu’s Chennai was disconnected on Monday, May 20. He alleged that his ex-wife, Beela Venkatesan, who is the energy secretary of the state, was abusing her power by disconnecting electricity to a house where there is an occupant.
According to Times of India, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) officials had visited the house of Rajesh Das to disconnect the power supply on Sunday, May 19. However, they left after he resisted their efforts. The officers returned on Monday with a letter from the state’s energy secretary.
“TANGEDCO should seek my opinion in writing before disconnecting the supply since I am residing in the house. There are no pending dues or a court order to justify the disconnection. Even if the landlord wants to do so, Tangedco cannot do that when there is a tenant. But they climbed the pole outside the building and disconnected the supply,” Rajesh told Times of India.
Responding to allegations of abuse of power, Beela said the house was vacant for the last three months and that she did not want to unnecessarily spend on electricity bills as the connection and land were in her name. “The occupant was given enough time to give the document of proof (to confirm Rajesh was staying in the premises). As he failed to furnish it, Tangedco officials did their duty,” she added.
In 2023, a trial court in Villupuram had convicted Rajesh Das of sexually harassing a woman IPS officer working under him. In April this year, he had moved the Madras High Court with two pleas – one seeking suspension of sentence and another seeking exemption from surrendering before the trial court, both of which were dismissed. The Supreme Court on May 17 ordered an interim stay on his arrest while hearing an appeal filed against the HC’s dismissal of the two pleas.
Read: How TN IPS officer pursued sexual harassment case against ex-DGP despite pressure