Himachal BJP MLA Faces Serious Pocso Charges
The political landscape of Himachal Pradesh was shaken on Friday when BJP MLA Hans Raj was formally booked under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. The case stems from a serious complaint filed by a woman who alleges the legislator committed sexual offenses against her when she was a minor.
Legal Framework and FIR Details
The First Information Report was registered in Chamba district under specific legal provisions that carry severe penalties. The charges include Section 6 of the Pocso Act, which deals with aggravated penetrative sexual assault, and Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which criminalizes sexual intercourse obtained through deceitful means.
Police authorities confirmed that the FIR was filed only after the victim recorded her detailed statement under Section 183 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate at Chamba district court. This procedural step adds significant legal weight to the case against the three-time Churah MLA and former deputy speaker.
Chronology of Events and Previous Complaints
According to police sources familiar with the investigation, the woman was a minor when the alleged offenses occurred. In her court statement, she claimed the legislator had physical relations with her against her will and specifically identified the location where the crime supposedly took place.
This isn't the first time Hans Raj has faced legal trouble from the same complainant. Last year, the victim had filed an FIR accusing the MLA of harassing her over phone calls and demanding obscene pictures. However, during that initial complaint, she had not leveled rape allegations against the politician. Interestingly, she later retracted from that statement, adding complexity to the current case.
A senior police officer emphasized that despite the victim now being an adult, authorities are strictly following all Pocso Act protocols, including maintaining complete confidentiality about the victim's identity as mandated by law.
Expanding Investigation and Political Reactions
The case has widened to include the MLA's close associates. Chamba police have also registered a separate FIR against Hans Raj's personal assistant Lekh Chand and close aide Muniyar Khan. They stand accused of allegedly abducting and pressuring both the victim and her father, and subsequently forcing the woman to change her initial statement against the MLA.
Investigating officers revealed that the victim's father named Hans Raj in his complaint, leading to the FIR against the two aides. While the MLA's name appears in the FIR summary, police indicated that his direct involvement would be established during custodial interrogation of the primary accused.
The political dimension became evident when Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu addressed the media on Thursday. The CM stated that his government has been closely monitoring all developments related to the allegations against the BJP MLA. Sukhu also expressed his opinion that the victim should not have changed her earlier statement.
MLA's Defense and Public Apology
Hans Raj has consistently maintained his innocence, characterizing the allegations as malicious and politically motivated. In a significant development on Wednesday, the MLA issued a public apology, though notably not for the sexual assault allegations.
He expressed regret to people employed in the industrial areas of Baddi and Nalagarh, stating he never intended to hurt their sentiments with his previous comments. In a video message, he acknowledged the vital contribution of Chamba residents working in these industrial towns, describing them as the backbone of the state's economy.
The embattled politician framed his troubles within a broader political narrative, stating, Politics is a platform full of conspiracies and plots, where such attacks begin whenever a common man starts progressing. He categorically denied any misconduct with any woman and claimed a false narrative was deliberately created to damage his reputation.
Hans Raj's apology came precisely two days after the Himachal Pradesh State Women Commission sought a detailed report from Chamba district police concerning the harassment allegations against him. The MLA had previously faced social media backlash for his comments about the behavior of the woman who accused him of harassment, with netizens particularly condemning his remarks about people from Chamba working in industrial towns.
The case continues to develop as legal proceedings advance and political pressures mount on all sides involved in this high-profile controversy.
