Bihar Congress leader Brajesh Kumar, accused of running sex racket and sexually assaulting Dalit minor girl, resigns

Patna: Bihar Congress vice-president Brajesh Kumar alias Brajesh Pandey, booked in a case of sexual exploitation of a minor girl, resigned on Tuesday.

The victim is the daughter of a former state minister, who is also from Congress.

Talking to news agency PTI, IGP (Weaker Section) Anil Kishore Yadav said that Pandey has been booked under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on the basis of a supervision note submitted by CID Women's cell DSP Mamta Kalyani.

The IGP, however, refused to divulge more details, saying that a probe is on.

Pandey's name has been included in the case along with main accused Nikhil Priyadarshi.

The victim has alleged that Priyadarshi duped her in the name of marriage and blackmailed her with his brother, another co-accused, and the Congress leader.

An FIR has been registered in this connection with SC/ST police station in Patna.

Priyadarshi and the other co-accused are absconding after a local court recently rejected their anticipatory bail.

The girl appeared on local TV channels on Tuesday and narrated her woes.

Alleging that Pandey, who was introduced to her as a big leader, used to threaten her with dire consequences. She accused him of being involved in a sex racket.

As the matter hogged media limelight, Pandey resigned from his post saying, "I do not want that the party suffer in any manner because of me".

He faxed his resignation letter to state party president Ashok Choudhary.

State party spokesman Harkhu Jha said in a statement that the state president, who is now campaigning for Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election, accepted the resignation.

Pandey, who had unsuccessfully contested from Govindganj constituency in East Champaran in 2015, pleaded innocence in his resignation letter.

The victim girl has been accusing Nikhil Priyadarshi and his family but "I do not know how come she is now naming me... I am deliberately victimised on behalf of somebody," he said in the letter.

(With PTI inputs)