Uttarakhand BJP leader arrested for molesting teen, expelled from party

Dehradun, Sep 1 (PTI) A BJP leader has been arrested for allegedly molesting a teenager in the ​​Almora district of Uttarakhand.

Almora SSP Devendra Pincha said on Sunday that Bhagwat Singh Bora, accused of molesting a 14-year-old girl, was arrested on Saturday night.

Meanwhile, taking cognisance of the incident, Bora, who was the block unit chief of the party's Salt region, has been expelled with immediate effect on the instructions of BJP’s state president Mahendra Bhatt.

The SSP said the alleged incident took place on August 24 in the Salt revenue area, and an information regarding this was received on August 30.

Pincha said that a case has been registered against the accused under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Section 74 (assault or criminal force on a woman to outrage her modesty) of the BNS.

Meanwhile, after recording the girl's statement, her medical examination was also conducted.

Attacking the ruling BJP over the issue, state Congress president Karan Mahara alleged the BJP government has given “license” to its leaders in the matter of atrocities against women.

State BJP president Bhatt termed the incident as “very unfortunate” and said the accused has been expelled from the party.

In a statement issued here, Bhatt said the Pushkar Dhami government in the state is implementing a policy of 'zero tolerance' towards crime.

“In this case also, whether the accused is small or big, influential or associated with any political party, our government is taking the strictest action… As far as the organisation's side is concerned, the leader involved in the incident has been dismissed from all posts with immediate effect and shown the way out of the party," he said. PTI