New Delhi: Youth Congress president Srinivas BV on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking the quashing of the FIR lodged against him for allegedly outraging modesty of a former Assam Youth Congress president Angkita Dutta.
Srinivas BV moved the apex court after the Gauhati High Court last week rejected his anticipatory bail plea and also refused to quash the FIR.
Senior Advocate Devdatt Kamat mentioned the matter before a bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala seeking urgent relief, Bar and Bench reported.
The bench is likely to list the matter for hearing next week.
Srinivas has sought quashing of the FIR lodged against him on a complaint lodged by his former colleague and the ex-president of Assam Youth Congress at Dispur police station in Guwahati.
In her complaint, Angkita Dutta alleged that Srinivas persistently harassed her mentally by way of sexist remarks and slang words.
She also claimed that he threatened her with dire consequences if she disclosed the same before the high office bearers of the Congress Party.
On her complaint, an FIR was registered against Srinivas under Sections 352 (assault or criminal force), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 354A (1)(iv) (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code.
He was also issued a notice by the Dispur Police, asking him to personally appear before the officers investigating the complaint.
Srinivas moved the High Court seeking anticipatory bail and stay on the summoning notice by Dispur police.
He claimed that the FIR was filed against him to settle political scores.
In the petition before Supreme Court, Srinivas claimed that a plain reading of the FIR failed to show the ingredients to make out an offence.
The plea also alleged that Assam police had no jurisdiction to investigate or register an FIR for an offence which allegedly took place in Chhattisgarh.
Srinivas pointed out that though the time to appear before the Dispur police had been extended till May 12, there were apprehensions that the police may arrest him when he reaches Gauhati for investigation.
A five-member team of the Guwahati Police went to Bengaluru on April 23, and pasted a notice at his residence, directing him to appear at the Dispur police station by May 2. But, Srinivas skipped the summons and sought 10 days to appear before it.