BJP MLA Hans Raj Booked Under POCSO Act in Sexual Assault Case

• MLA Hans Raj faces charges under Section 6 of POCSO and Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
• The complaint was filed after the victim recorded her statement before the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Chamba.
• The woman earlier went live on Facebook alleging exploitation and intimidation by the MLA and his aides.
• MLA Hans Raj denied the allegations, calling them politically motivated.

GG News Bureau
Shimla, 10th Nov: Himachal Pradesh BJP legislator Hans Raj has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act after a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was a minor, police said on Saturday.

Hans Raj, who represents the Churah constituency in Chamba district, has been charged under Section 6 of the POCSO Act (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) and Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (criminalising sexual intercourse obtained through deceitful means).

The complaint was filed on Friday evening at the Women’s Police Station in Chamba. The FIR was registered after the woman recorded her statement under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) before the Chief Judicial Magistrate.

According to the police, the woman, now in her early twenties, alleged that the MLA exploited her against her wishes when she was a minor. She provided details of the locations where the alleged assaults took place.

Last week, the woman went live on Facebook, accusing Hans Raj and his aides of sexual exploitation and intimidation. In the seven-minute video, she claimed to have supporting evidence and expressed fear for her life, alleging that the legislator had “ruined her family.”

In response, Hans Raj released a video denying all charges, terming them “baseless and politically motivated.”

Later, the victim’s father alleged that the MLA’s aides had kidnapped them, broken their phones, and threatened to burn their house if they did not withdraw the complaint.

Police sources confirmed that this is not the first complaint against Hans Raj. In 2023, the woman had lodged an FIR accusing him of harassment and demanding obscene photos, though she later withdrew her statement and did not accuse him of rape at that time.

Authorities said the case is under investigation, and further action will be taken based on evidence and testimonies.