Himachal BJP MLA Hans Raj Charged Under POCSO Act for Alleged Sexual Assault of Minor

Himachal Pradesh BJP legislator Hans Raj is now facing serious legal charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act following a complaint filed by a woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted during her minority, according to police statements released Saturday.

The lawmaker, who represents the Churah constituency in Chamba district, has been charged under Section 6 of the POCSO Act, which addresses aggravated penetrative sexual assault, as well as Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which criminalizes sexual intercourse obtained through deceptive means.

Authorities confirmed that the complaint was officially submitted on Friday evening at the local Women's police station. The First Information Report (FIR) was registered after the complainant provided her formal statement under Section 183 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) before the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Chamba.

Prior to filing the official complaint, the woman had taken to Facebook last week, going live to make public accusations of sexual exploitation and intimidation against the MLA and individuals associated with him. She claimed to possess evidence supporting her allegations.

In her seven-minute video post, she alleged that the legislator had destroyed her family and expressed fears for her personal safety. Hans Raj responded to these claims by releasing his own video statement, dismissing the allegations as baseless and politically motivated.

Following these developments, the woman's father informed media outlets that associates of the MLA had allegedly kidnapped them, destroyed their mobile phones, and threatened to burn down their residence if they proceeded with the case.

A police official disclosed to media representatives that the case was formally registered after the victim, currently in her early twenties, alleged she had been sexually abused by the MLA when she was underage.

In her statement, she claimed that the legislator had forced physical relations upon her against her consent. The victim specifically identified the location where the alleged crime occurred.

This is not the first time the MLA has faced such accusations. Last year, the same woman had filed an FIR against Hans Raj, alleging telephone harassment and demands for inappropriate images. However, at that time, she did not include allegations of rape, and subsequently withdrew her statement.