Known to be an honest officer, H.T. Sangliana once booked his wife for using his official car to go shopping.
New Delhi: Former Karnataka DGP H.T. Sangliana, who has drawn public criticism for his alleged misogynistic remark about the 2012 Delhi gang rape victim’s mother, Asha Devi, is no stranger to controversy.
“I see Nirbhaya’s mother, she has such a good physique. I can just imagine how beautiful Nirbhaya must have been,” Sangliana was quoted as saying at the Nirbhaya Award function on 9 March.
The event was organised to honour Jyoti Singh, the victim of the 16 December 2012 gang rape. The former top cop also reportedly said, “If you are overpowered, you should surrender, and follow up the case later. That way we can be safe, save a life, prevent being killed.”
Born in Aizwal, Mizoram, Sangliana was posted in Karnataka when he became an IPS officer in 1967. He became known for his tough, unconventional methods of policing in Bengaluru and elsewhere in the state, so much so that three Kannada films were made on his life and exploits as a supercop.
He served as the head of Karnataka Special Task Force, tasked with capturing dreaded sandalwood smuggler Veerappan, who was eventually shot dead by Tamil Nadu STF in an encounter in 2004.
After his retirement, Sangliana joined politics and was a BJP MP from Bangalore North constituency in the 14th Lok Sabha.
Brush with controversies
Sangliana had drawn criticism for his comments at a seminar on ‘Sexual harassment of women at workplace and the law’, held in Bengaluru.
“Don’t exhibit your jewellery to prevent chain snatching incidents,” was what he reportedly said at the event.
Known to be an honest and upright police officer, Sangliana had hit the headlines when he filed a case against his wife for using his official vehicle to go for shopping.
At the same time, he was seen as a “motor mouth” for asking women to “use chili powder and natural long nails to defend any attack” and to “scratch the attacker or tear their shirt”.
When Sangliana was appointed vice-chairman of National Commission for Minorities in 2009, he promised to raise issues concerning the welfare of the Christian community and that he would make BJP “Bharatiya Jesus Party”.