Himachal: Churah MLA’s aides booked over harassment allegations
The action was taken following the complaint by woman’s father. As per the complaint by the woman’s father Taj Mohammad, the MLA and his aides allegedly abducted him and his daughter and took them to Shimla last year, where they were threatened and forced to record a new statement denying the earlier allegations
Days after a woman levelled allegations of harassment against BJP MLA from Churah, Hans Raj, on social media, Chamba police have registered an FIR against MLA’s personal secretary Lekh Raj, and another individual Muniyaan Khan for allegedly threatening and coercing the victim to retract her earlier statements in a sexual harassment case she had filed against the legislator last year.
The action was taken following the complaint by woman’s father. As per the complaint by the woman’s father Taj Mohammad, the MLA and his aides allegedly abducted him and his daughter and took them to Shimla last year, where they were threatened and forced to record a new statement denying the earlier allegations. The father alleged that his daughter’s phone was confiscated and they were warned that their house would be set on fire if they did not comply. In the complaint he further claimed that a written statement was prepared under duress and made to be read by his daughter in a live video, later circulated on social media. The complainant said the family has been living in fear ever since.
However, the Churah MLA has denied all allegations, terming a political conspiracy to malign his image and disrupt the communal harmony in his assembly segment. “I was myself demanding investigation in the matter and a case of defamation should be lodged against the woman for tarnishing my image,” he said.
The woman had filed a complaint last year, accusing the MLA of sending her obscene messages and demanding her nude photograph. The case was later dismissed by court after she changed her statement. The case dates back to August 2024.
Chamba additional superintendent of police Hitesh Lakhanpal confirmed that an FIR has been lodged against two persons under relevant provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and investigation is on.
Talking to the media, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that an FIR was registered earlier which was cancelled by the court following change in victim’s statement. After a fresh complaint by the victim, the police would reinvestigate the case and law will take its own course after verification of facts, he added.
The woman commission had also sought a report from Chamba SP in this regard.
The victim’s statement was recorded on Friday.