Srinivas B V to appear before Dispur police today in harassment case

Guwahati: Indian Youth Congress President Srinivas B V has been asked to appear at Dispur police station here on Tuesday in connection with a complaint filed by a now-expelled Congress leader, alleging harassment and gender discrimination.

Srinivas' petition in the Gauhati High Court appealing for quashing of the FIR against him will also be taken up by the court again later in the day.

When contacted, Congress leaders here could not confirm whether Srinivas will appearing in person before the police.

Expelled Assam Youth Congress president Angkita Dutta had filed a complaint at the Dispur police station on April 19 alleging that Srinivas was ''persistently harassing and torturing her for the last six months by making sexist comments, using slang words and also threatening her of dire consequences if she keeps complaining against him to the senior party office bearers''.

She had also mentioned in the complaint that during the party's recent plenary session at Raipur, the accused had heckled, held her arm, pushed her, used slang words and said that he would ruin her career in the party if she complained against him.

The police had registered the FIR under various sections of the IPC related to harassment of women and the IT Act.

A five-member Guwahati police team went to Bengaluru on April 23 and pasted a notice at his residence directing him to appear at the Dispur Police station by May two.

Srinivas had filed a petition in the Gauhati High Court on April 26, appealing quashing of the FIR against him.

The Court of Justice Ajit Borthakur, after hearing both sides, had posted the matter for further hearing on May 2.

Srinivas had approached a local court in Bengaluru on April 28 for transit anticipatory bail, but his plea was rejected.

Prior to filing the complaint, Dutta had made allegations against Srinivas in a series of tweets in the micro-blogging site Twitter on April 18.

The Congress had issued a show cause notice to her and later expelled her from the primary membership of the party for six years for anti-party activities.

Srinivas had also served a legal notice to Dutta demanding an apology.