Himahcal Pradesh: BJP MLA gets interim bail in sexual exploitation case

Shimla, Nov 11 (PTI) A Chamba court on Tuesday granted interim bail to a BJP legislator in a sexual exploitation case and directed him to join the investigation.

The court restrained the police from arresting Churah MLA Hans Raj till November 22.

Hans Raj had moved the court after he was booked for aggravated penetrative sexual assault under Section 6 of POCSO Act and sexual intercourse by making false promise of marriage under Section 69 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhit.

A woman in her complaint on November 7, accused the legislator of sexually assaulting her when she was a minor.

The MLA's counsel alleged inconsistencies in the statement of the woman who, he claimed, had also lodged a complaint in 2024, with different charges.

The counsel argued that the case was politically motivated and meant to malign the image of the MLA.

In her last year's complaint, the woman, who belongs to a minority community, had accused the MLA of sending her explicit messages and demanding her nude photographs.

A closure report was filed by the police in the matter after investigation.

The issue flared again on November 2 this year when the woman posted a video on social media accusing the lawmaker of threatening her family.

She blamed government officials of harassing her father, and also accused the MLA's associates of pressuring her to withdraw her complaint.

On November 6, two close associates of Hans Raj were booked for kidnapping and intimidation at the woman's father's complaint.

The complaint alleged that Hans Raj and associates forcibly took his daughter and him to Shimla last year, snatched their mobile phones, threatened his daughter, and compelled them to record a "scripted" video to mislead the public and the authorities. PTI BPL VN VN