Guwahati: A Padma Awardee from Assam, Uddhab Bharali was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act (POCSO) Act for allegedly raping a minor girl who is reportedly also his adopted daughter.
According to reports, the Assam Police registered an FIR against Uddhab, alleging sections of the Indian Penal Code and the POCSO Act, after a complaint was filed by the Chief Judicial Magistrate and was informed by the District Legal Services Authority (DSLA) on December 17.
Meanwhile, Bharali has applied to the Gauhati High Court for pre-arrest bail. On December 28, he was granted bail, and the court summoned the case diary on January 7.
As per the reports, the case is still under investigation and is considered sub judice. According to Justice Arun Dev Choudhury’s bail order, the accused’s claimed crime was “severe in character.” The victim is currently being protected by the authorities and is being accommodated in a children’s home.
It may be mentioned that the child was in the accused’s foster care for more than a year and was repeatedly subjected to rape. According to the FIR, the victim was placed in the care of Uddhab Bharali for a year, following which the child’s foster care deed had to be renewed. However, when the deed expired, the accused did not renew it or bring the child before the CWC.
