Uttarakhand: Abetment charge on daughter-in-law after POCSO-accused ex-minister kills self

In a police complaint, Bahuguna (59) was accused by his daughter-in-law of molesting his granddaughter. Another case was registered against him on the complaint of a neighbour who accused Bahuguna of abusing, threatening and attacking her when she was walking with her mother-in-law. On Wednesday evening Bahuguna called the police, climbed on a water tank and killed himself using a country-made pistol.

“Bahuguna was recently booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on the complaint of his daughter-in-law. His daughter-in-law accused him of molesting her daughter. In addition to that, one of his neighbours accused Bahuguna of misbehaving with her… On Wednesday he called the police and climbed on an overhead water tank. The police team that reached the spot tried to convince him to come down but he took out a gun he had brought and shot himself,” senior superintendent of police Pankaj Bhatt told The Indian Express.

According to police sources, Bahuguna claimed the molestation allegations were false and that his daughter-in-law had levelled them to extort money from him. Neeraj Bhakuni, of the Banbhulpur police station, used a loudspeaker to assure Bahuguna that the police would listen to his side of the story. However, the former minister shot himself on the chest. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

Bhatt said that Bahuguna’s son claimed that his father was “depressed and hurt” owing to his daughter-in-law’s charges. “The son has alleged that his wife made those allegations following a marital discord. An FIR has been registered on the complaint of the son against his wife for abetting the suicide of Bahuguna,” said the police officer.