Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Action is yet to be taken against two government officers in connection with the honey trap case, despite the survivor’s statement. The names of two officers Harish Khare and Arun Nigam figured in the statement. Khare is working for the Women and Child Development Department and Nigam for Tribal Welfare Department.
In her statement in the court, the survivor mentioned the names of Khare and Nigam for getting involved in human trafficking and sexual exploitation. The survivor said both the officers had sexually exploited her, so statement indicated that both of them had violated her modesty. Despite that, neither police nor the departments concerned took action against them.
The name of the two officials came to light when the survivor gave a statement to the police who did not register a case against them. At that time, Khare was the officer on special duty (OSD) of a minister, Pradyumnya Singh Tomar. Nigam was the OSD of another minister, Pradeep Jaiswal.
Both Tomar and Jaiswal removed the officials. Tomar has joined the BJP, and Jaiswal has been appointed chairman of Mineral Development Corporation for supporting the government. One year has passed since the BJP government came to power, but the culprits in the honey trap case are moving freely. The survivor gave a statement to the court one week ago, but no case was registered against the two officials.
The name of Chhatarpur district president of the Congress, Manoj Trivedi, also figured in the honey trap case. In July last year, MPCC president Kamal Nath reinstated Trivedi who was removed from the post in January. Apart from that, the traders whose names figured in the honey trap case are also roaming freely.
The name of an engineer of Indore Municipal Corporation, Harbhajan Singh, figured in the case, and the government took action against him treating it as misconduct.
It was, however, Singh whose report brought the honey trap case to light. Similar cases of misdeeds of officers, politicians and traders have come to light to light, but the government has so far kept mum.
Honey trap case is major issue
The honey trap case rattled the state, but a probe into it has progressed at a snail’s pace, which is suspicious. The women involved in honey trap case were arrested in August 2019.
The Congress twice changed the heads of SIT, who were inquiring into the honey trap episode and the SIT officials whose name figured it remained unscathed. The BJP has formed government for one year, but is yet to take action against those linked with the case.