The court of District and Sessions Judge in Nagaon on Wednesday summoned Minister of State for Railways, Rajen Gohain, to appear before it on January 8, in a case related to sexual harassment on the basis of a complaint lodged by a woman.
It may be recalled that on August 2 this year, Nagaon police registered an FIR 2592/18 under IPC sections 417 (punishment for cheating), 376 ( punishment for rape) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) against Gohain, a veteran BJP leader and Lok Sabha member from Nagaon.
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On the same day, Gohain’s son filed a counter-FIR, alleging an attempt to blackmail his father by the woman and her family. Subsequently, on August 6, the woman put in a written request to the police, saying she had filed the complaint as a result of a “misunderstanding”, and now “wanted to withdraw the complaint”.
However, police continued with the investigation. Earlier on November 20, the Nagaon court directed to start the trial of the case of sexual harassment against Rajen Gohain. Nagaon police submitted in black and white to the court a mutual understanding with the two parties in the case. However, the court excluded the report of Nagaon police.
“It’s a political conspiracy against me. Conspiracies have been plotted against me earlier also… Investigation is under way and the truth will be revealed soon,” Gohain had said earlier in a statement.
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The statement by Gohain, made in Delhi, came a day after Assam Police had said their investigation into the allegation of rape would continue as per the law.
The opposition Assam Congress had demanded Gohain’s resignation over the controversy. Ripun Borah, the president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, had told media that if Prime Minister Narendra Modi valued “transperancy” then he should ask Gohain to resign.