Congress' BV Srinivas moves Gauhati HC seeking anticipatory bail

GUWAHATI: Indian Youth Congress chief Srinivas BV moved a petition for anticipatory bail before the Gauhati High Court in connection with the FIR against him lodged by expelled Assam youth congress president Angkita Dutta alleging harassment, said Srinivas's lawyer Dhrupad Das.
The court of Justice Ajit Borthakur on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of the criminal petition, which Srinivas had filed on April 26 seeking quashing of the FIR against him lodged by Dutta, till Thursday. Assam advocate general D Saikia said Srinivas had moved the criminal petition on four grounds - Assam Police does not have any jurisdiction to investigate the case, there is inordinate delay in filing the FIR, there are contradictions in the allegations in the FIR and it is a case of political vendetta."
Assam advocate general D Saikia had prayed before the high court for an adjournment on the ground that public prosecutor M Phukan was in Bengaluru in connection with the anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) 1973.
Section 438 of CrPC provides that where a person has reason to believe that he may be arrested on the accusation of committing a non-bailable cognizable offence, he can apply to the court of session or the high court for the grant of bail in case of such arrest.
The FIR against Srinivas was filed at the Dispur police station in Guwahati on April 20. He was slapped with the charges of 'act intended to insult the modesty of a woman', 'wrongful restraint', 'Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty', 'Sexual harassment' and 'criminal intimidation' among others under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant charges under the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Meanwhile, Srinivas, who was supposed to appear before the investigating officer at the Dispur police station on Tuesday, did not do so. He was served a notice by the Assam police on April 23 at his Begaluru residence to appear before the investigating officer for questioning in the case.
Police said a second notice with a fresh date will soon be issued to Srinivas to appear before the investigating officer.