Himachal MLA booked under Pocso Act on woman's complaint

Shimla, Nov 8 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh BJP legislator Hans Raj was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on the complaint of a woman who alleged she was sexually assaulted when she was minor, the police said on Saturday.

The legislator represents the Churah constituency in Chamba district and was booked under Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Pocso Act and Section 69 (criminalising sexual intercourse obtained through deceitful means) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The complaint was lodged on Friday evening at the Women's police station.

The police said the FIR was registered after the woman recorded her statement under Section 183 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Chamba.

Last week, the woman went live on Facebook, leveling serious allegations of sexual exploitation and intimidation against the MLA and his aides, claiming to possess supporting evidence.

She uploaded a seven-minute video alleging that the legislator had ruined her family and that she feared for her life. In response, Hans Raj released a video terming the allegations baseless and politically motivated.

Subsequently, her father told the media that the MLA's aides had kidnapped them, broken their mobile phones, and threatened to burn down their house if they did not withdraw the case.

A police officer told the media that a case was registered after the victim, who is in her early twenties, alleged that she was sexually abused by the MLA when she was a minor.

She alleged in her statement that the legislator had physical relations with her against her wishes.

She named the place in her statement where the accused committed the crime with her.

Last year, too, the victim had lodged an FIR against legislator Hans Raj for allegedly harassing her over the phone and demanding her obscene pictures. At that time, the victim didn't level the allegations of rape against Hans Raj.

Later, the victim had retracted from her statement.

--IANS

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