The Haryana police on Saturday arrested Inspector General Hemant Kalson for allegedly trespassing the property of two women, and physically and verbally assaulting them, in Panchkula, The Indian Express reported. A purported video of the incident that shows the police officer slapping a woman has gone viral on social media.

Two first information reports have been filed against Kalson in connection with the incident, which took place on August 21 in Rattpur colony of Pinjore. While the inspector general has been reprimanded to judicial custody in the first FIR, he was given bail in the second one.

“Police took action and accused was booked under the relevant sections and has been arrested,” a Panchkula police spokesperson told ANI. “He will be produced in the court.”

The first FIR, which was filed by Kalson’s cook, stated that on the evening of August 21, the inspector forcibly entered her house and started beating her daughter. He was accompanied by a woman. “It was when I heard noises coming from outside I rushed to save my daughter,” the complaint stated, adding that she had managed to film the incident on her phone.

The FIR added that Kalson allegedly also bragged about having connections with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and bureaucrat Rajesh Khullar, and threatened the woman “to do anything”.

On the basis of the complaint, Kalson has been charged under Section 323 and Section 452 of the Indian Penal Code. The former pertains to punishment for voluntarily causing hurt while the second relates to charges of trespassing.

In the second FIR, the complainant alleged that Kalson reached their residence around 9.30 pm, pushed his way into the house and started abusing his wife. “Hearing this I rushed to the door when he started beating me,” the FIR quoted the complaint as saying. “He told me that he is the IG of police and threatened to get me shot. He was drunk and I could sense the alcohol on him.”

When the neighbours tried to intervene, the inspector general abused them as well, it added. Based on the allegations, a case was registered against Kalson under sections 323, 452 and 509 of the Indian Penal Code, pertaining to insulting the modesty of a woman, and Section 510, which relates to misconduct in public by a drunken person.

Controversial history

This is the second time in less than a month that Kalson has been accused of assault. On August 2, an FIR was filed against the inspector general by the Pinjore police station of Panchkula under section 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the IPC for allegedly abusing and harassing his neighbour. The FIR stated that on July 27, Kalson had reached her home in an inebriated condition in the absence of her husband and started abusing her.

Last year, Kalson was suspended by the Haryana government after he had fired rounds into the air in an inebriated condition during his election duty in Tamil Nadu.