3 min readChandigarhApr 18, 2026 10:47 PM IST
After relying on the victim’s statement recorded under Section 164 of CrPC and her examination-in-chief before the trial court, which the prosecution says contains “clear, consistent, and grave allegations” against former Indian hockey team captain and Haryana sports minister Sandeep Singh, the Chandigarh Police has moved an application seeking amendment of charge of attempt to rape and transfer of the case to a Sessions Court for trial.
The application, filed before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Sachin Yadav, states that “the material already available on the judicial record, including the statement of the victim recorded under Section 164 of CrPC and her examination-in-chief recorded before this court, contains clear, consistent, and grave allegations against the accused”.
Taking note of the plea, the CJM court has issued notice to the respondent, Sandeep Singh, and listed the matter for April 29.
Referring to specific portions of the complainant’s testimony and her earlier statement, the prosecution has contended that “these facts… clearly satisfy the ingredients of an attempt to commit rape as defined under the Indian Penal Code (IPC)”.
The Chandigarh Police, in its application, submitted has argued that “an ‘Attempt to Rape’ under Section 376 read with Section 511 of the IPC is a heinous offence,” adding that “the failure to include this charge despite the specific testimony of the victim constitutes a legal oversight that must be rectified to ensure that the accused is tried for the actual gravity of the offence committed”.
The UT Police has further submitted that “in the interest of justice and to ensure a fair trial, it is imperative that the charges are amended”, warning that “framing charges for lesser offenses in the face of evidence suggesting a more heinous crime would lead to a miscarriage of justice”.
Seeking transfer of the case, the application states that Section 323 CrPC (Section 361 BNSS) mandates that if a case appears to be triable exclusively by a Sessions Court, “the Magistrate shall commit the case”.
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Accordingly, the prosecution has prayed that the court may “add/amend the charges to include Section 376 read with Section 511 of the IPC” and commit the matter to the Sessions Court for trial.
The case stems from a complaint filed on December 31, 2022, against the former minister by a woman athlete at Chandigarh’s Sector 26 police station, alleging sexual harassment, stalking, criminal intimidation and outraging her modesty. Following the allegations, Sandeep Singh had stepped down from his ministerial portfolio.
Police filed a chargesheet on August 25, 2023, under Sections 354, 354-A, 354-B, 342, 506 and 509 of the IPC. The former hockey player was granted anticipatory bail on September 15, 2023, and charges were framed by the trial court on July 29, 2024.
Sandeep Singh, meanwhile, has denied the allegations, claiming the complaint is false and motivated.
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The complainant during her statements before the trial court had reiterated the statements she had previously given to the police in her complaint. She placed several facts related to the case before the court while maintaining her allegations of sexual harassment against the former minister.
