Guwahati: Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president Srinivas BV on Monday appeared before the Guwahati Police in connection with the harassment and gender discrimination case filed by expelled Assam Pradesh Youth Congress (APYC) president Angkita Dutta.
Srinivas BV arrived in Guwahati at around 9.30 am. He was accorded a warm welcome by the workers and supporters of Congress on his arrival at the airport.
The IYC chief then headed to the Panbazar Police Station to appear before the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP), (East Guwahati), Moitrayee Deka.
He was questioned by the police officer at the Panbazar Police Station for over an hour.
Srinivas BV then left for the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Assam at Ulubari. He was questioned for almost an hour here too.
He was accompanied to the CID headquarters by Congress MLA Rekibuddin Ahmed and a few lawyers.
After coming out of the CID office and on being asked by the media persons on the allegations leveled against him by Angkita Dutta, Srinivas BV said, “I have already told you that the case is pending in the court and we have faith in the judiciary.”
The Police Commissionerate, Guwahati on Saturday had issued prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to prevent overcrowding by the Congress party workers and supporters to welcome their youth leader and protests by Angkita Dutta’s supporters.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday had granted anticipatory bail to Srinivas BV.
A bench of Justice B R Gavai and Justice Sanjay Karol granted anticipatory bail to Srinivas and asked him to cooperate with the investigation and appear before the police on May 22.
Issuing notice to the Assam government and others, the bench had posted the matter for hearing on July 10.
Earlier, Angkita Dutta, who was expelled from the primary membership of Congress for six years, over alleged anti-party activities, following her accusations against the IYV chief, had lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against Srinivas BV at the Dispur police station, on April 19.
In her FIR, Angkita Dutta alleged that the IYC chief made sexist comments and threatened her with dire consequences if she complained against him.
Dutta in a series of tweets had referred to Srinivas BV as “sexist” and “chauvinistic”. “I am a woman leader. If I undergo such harassment, how am I supposed to encourage other women to join,” read one of her tweets.
Dutta had also accused senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of not initiating action against Srinivas BV despite being apprised of the matter several months ago. The Congress has dismissed the charges, saying they were politically motivated.