Serious Allegations and Counter-Claims: Chhattisgarh IPS Officer Ratanlal Dangi Faces Harassment Accusations

IPS officer Ratan Lal Dangi faces accusations of prolonged physical and mental harassment from a police sub-inspector's wife.

A serious controversy has emerged in Chhattisgarh's police department as a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Ratanlal Dangi, stands accused of sexual harassment by a sub-inspector's wife. The woman alleges she endured seven years of physical and mental harassment. Dangi, however, contends that her complaint is merely a defensive response to his prior blackmail allegations against her.

In his defense, Inspector General Dangi emphatically rejected the accusations during an interview with NDTV, stating, "I first complained about blackmailing, and then the woman filed this complaint as a defense."

The situation became public after the woman submitted a formal complaint to the Director General of Police on October 16, prompting the administration to launch a departmental inquiry. Senior IPS officers Dr. Anand Chhabra and Milna Kurre have been appointed to a two-member investigation team to examine the matter thoroughly.

According to the complainant, her first interaction with Dangi occurred in 2017 when he served as Superintendent of Police in Korba. She claims the harassment persisted through his various postings from Surguja to Bilaspur and currently at the Police Training Academy in Chandkhuri.

The woman alleges Dangi would call her to his residence during his wife's absence and harass her, continuing to pressure her through video calls even after being transferred. She claims that when she attempted to end contact, Dangi threatened to transfer her husband to a Naxal-affected area, compelling her to maintain unwanted communication.

In her statement, she explained that fear for her husband's career kept her silent for years, but the ongoing mental and physical torment ultimately drove her to speak out.

Countering these claims, IG Dangi has filed his own complaint with DGP Arundev Gautam just one day before the woman's accusations emerged. In his letter, he described being blackmailed for years, with the woman allegedly recording private moments to control his life and extort him.

Dangi claims the woman imposed extraordinary restrictions on him, including prohibitions against communicating with his wife, attending family gatherings, or celebrating personal milestones. He alleges she demanded he maintain video calls for eight hours nightly, even during private activities like bathing or sleeping, threatening to release compromising materials if he refused.

Additionally, Dangi asserts the woman would self-harm and simulate suicide attempts as manipulation tactics. He accuses her of creating public disturbances at his home, showing inappropriate images to his household staff, and causing estrangement from his family.

An audio recording related to the case has circulated on social media platforms, in which the woman can be heard denying sexual harassment allegations during a conversation with an unidentified man, stating she would present her account to the investigative committee.

Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai has addressed the situation, assuring the public that no one would be protected from misconduct investigations regardless of rank. "Whether it is an IPS or IAS officer, if an allegation is made against anyone, there will be an investigation. If the inquiry confirms wrongdoing, strict action will follow," the Chief Minister stated.

Dangi, who joined the IPS in 2003, has held numerous significant positions throughout his career, including Superintendent of Police in multiple districts and Inspector General in several ranges. He currently directs the Police Training Academy in Chandkhuri and is recognized as both an author and yoga practitioner, having published several books on motivation and wellness.