Angkita Dutta Case: FIR Against Srinivas BV, Assam Police Leaves For Karnataka

New Delhi: An Assam Police team left for Karnataka on Saturday to apprehend the national president of the Indian Youth Congress, Srinivas B.V, news agency IANS reported. The harassment complaint was lodged against him by the suspended Assam unit youth Congress chief Angkita Dutta. Srinivas B.V has been booked at Dispur police station under Sections 509, 294, 341, 352, 354, 354A, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) along with Section 67 of the Information Technology Act. "A four-member team of Assam Police has been sent to Karnataka to apprehend Srinivas, IANS said quoting sources. "Assam DGP G.P. Singh has confirmed the development. However, he refused to divulge any further details," IANS said.

CM Himanta Backs Angkita Over Harassment Allegations

Earlier on Friday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma commented on ex-Assam Indian Youth Congress chief Angkita Dutta's allegations on national youth Congress president Srinivas B.V. Calling Dutta 'daughter of Assam', Sarma said the way state Congress has tackled this matter is sad. "They (Assam Congress) are thinking that she has given a wrong statement and IYC President is right. I would have been happy if Assam Congress talks in favour of her. But what we see is completely opposite," news agency ANI quoted Assam CM Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma as saying.

Angkita Dutta on Friday recorded her statement in the case before the Chief Judicial Magistrate court in Guwahati. Terming the issue as an internal issue for Congress, Himanta said "It is Congress' matter, and if they tackle the issue then there will be no need for the involvement of CID or police. If the issue is not resolved, then the law will have to take its course."

Congress' Show-Cause Notice To Angkita Dutta

Angkita Dutta was earlier issued a show-cause notice by the party for going public with the allegations. On Friday, Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah said that Dutta submitted her reply to the show-cause notice to the party. Borah added that her reply was forwarded to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) for necessary action. 

What Is The Matter?

Assam Youth Congress leader Dutta, in a series of Tweets on Tuesday, had accused IYC president Srinivas B V of being a 'sexist and chauvinistic' person who harassed her and discriminated based on gender. Dutta also alleged that she had earlier informed the matter to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, but no action was initiated in the matter. She also filed a complaint at the Dispur police station on Wednesday, alleging Srinivas was 'harassing and torturing her for the last six months by making sexist comments, using slang words and also threatening her with dire consequences if she keeps complaining against him to the senior party office bearers'.

Levelling serious allegations, Angkita Dutta also alleged that during the Congress party's plenary session at Raipur in February, Srinivas heckled her and threatened to ruin her political career. Meanwhile, Dutta on Friday was called to the CID office here, reportedly in connection with the complaint she had lodged against Srinivas at Dispur police station.

Srinivas Warns Of Legal Proceedings 

Srinivas had issued a notice to Dutta over the issue, demanding an apology for her statements failing which he will initiate legal proceedings. "Whoever is found indulged in propagating/peddling false & defamatory content will be held liable under the relevant laws & will be held accountable for their acts. Sorry for not being able to answer BJP and their Sponsored stooges earlier because of the marathon election campaign in Karnataka, where BJP is all set to lose badly," said Srinivas in a tweet while sharing the notice to Dutta.