Former special Director General of Police (DGP) Rajesh Das and a few others were booked by the Kelambakkam police on charges of trespassing and criminal intimidation on Monday, May 20. The complaint was filed by Beela Venkatesan, Energy Secretary of the Tamil Nadu government, who is also his ex-wife. According to reports, Rajesh Das and 10 others trespassed into the premises of Beela’s residence on May 18, Saturday and intimidated the security personnel.
Rajesh Das who was convicted in a sexual harassment case had alleged that Beela Venkatesan was abusing her power by disconnecting electricity to his house. 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, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) officials did their duty,” she said.
Read: Former TN DGP loses power at home, blames ex-wife IAS officer
According to reports, Rajesh and 10 others forcibly entered the house at Thaiyur on Saturday and assaulted the security guard, took his phone and forced him to clean the toilets in the house. The police registered a case under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 448 (house-trespass), 454 (lurking house-trespass or house-breaking ), 352 (assaults or uses criminal force)and 506(i) (criminal intimidation)of Indian Penal Code.
In 2023, a trial court in Villupuram convicted Rajesh Das of sexually harassing a woman IPS officer working under him. In April of this year, he moved to the Madras High Court with two pleas - one seeking suspension of sentence and another seeking exemption from surrendering before the trial court. Both pleas were dismissed. On May 17, the Supreme Court ordered an interim stay on his arrest while hearing an appeal filed against the High Court's dismissal of the two pleas.