Uddhab Bharali denies rape charges, wants to leaves Assam
Guwahati: Padmashree awardee Uddhab Bharali on Thursday denied the rape allegations levelled against him saying that it was conspiracy to malign his image. He also expressed that he would leave the state though will live as an Assamese after proven innocent.
“I will leave Assam the day I win the case and I won’t return to this place. I don’t want stay at a place where one’s achievement and respect becomes a person’s enemy,” he said.
He claimed that the conspiracy against him was led by some people of Lakhimpur who were close to him and were jealous of his achievement.
Speaking to the media, Bharali expressed his faith in the judiciary and said, “I would fight for justice and wait for the truth to prevail.”
Earlier, the Gauhati high court while granting an anticipatory bail to Bharali has directed him not to leave the territorial jurisdiction of the North Lakhimpur police station without prior permission from the officer-in-charge.
The order also mentioned, “The petitioner shall appear before the Officer-incharge, North Lakhimpur PS within 7(seven) days from today for recording of his statement.”
“The petitioner shall appear before the I.O. of the Case as and when called for,” it further read.
Bharali was booked under the POCSO Act for allegedly raping a minor while she was under his foster care.
Police registered an FIR against him invoking sections of the Indian Penal Code and the POCSO Act based on a complaint from a Chief Judicial Magistrate who was briefed by the District Legal Services Authority (DSLA), Lakhimpur on December 17.
He was granted an anticipatory bail by Gauhati High Court on December 28 while calling for the case diary on January 7.
According to the FIR, the victim, who was adopted by the accused, alleged that he sexually harassed her for a year.
The issue first came to light when the CWC members approached DSLA-Lakhimpur on November 30 with the victim’s statement,
Read More : Padma Awardee from Assam booked for ‘raping’ minor
