Dr Uddhab Kumar Bharali sent to judicial custody

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court Lakhimpur on Friday sent Padma Shri Dr. Uddhav Kumar Bharali to judicial custody in connection with a case registered against him regarding alleged molestation of a minor girl who was under his foster care. At present, the internationally acclaimed innovator, scientist has been shifted to Lakhimpur district jail.

The High Court rejected his bail plea on Thursday. Following the rejection of the bail plea, Dr Bharali decided to surrender before the CJM Court. He surrendered before the court on Friday and the CJM Court, Lakhimpur sent him to 14-day judicial custody.

The Padma Shri recipient Dr Bharali has been booked by the North Lakhimpur Police for the alleged molestation of the minor girl whom he adopted. As per the report, he brought the girl from children home for a year at first, but he allegedly did not initiate his steps to extend the period of time for keeping the girl under his care. Later, the Children Welfare Committee (CWC), Lakhimpur shifted the girl to the children home wherein she alleged sexual assault by her foster father while she was under his care. Then the CWC members approached District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Lakhimpur on November 30 with the victim's statement, requesting them to help with legal remedies. The DLSA-Lakhimpur guided the CWC and sent a letter to the CWC chairman on December 8, seeking an action-taken report. As per information received, no report was submitted till December 15, and the DLSA, Lakhimpur served a show-cause notice to the CWC on December 16.

Thereafter, the DSLA, Lakhimpur launched a preliminary inquiry into the matter, recording the statement of the victim in addition to ordering a medical examination. The DLSA, Lakhimpur briefed the matter to CJM on December 17 and filed a complaint. The CJM then forwarded the complaint to the Superintendent of Police, Lakhimpur. Based on the complaint from the CJM, North Lakhimpur Police registered a case against Dr. Bharali vide No. 1332/2021 under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Sections 376(I), 376(A) and 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on the same day.

After the FIR was filed, Uddhab Bharali moved the Gauhati High Court to seek pre-arrest bail. The vacation bench of the Gauhati High Court granted him interim anticipatory bail with some conditions.

In the order issued on December 28, the High Court stated, "He shall be released on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs 25,000 with a suitable surety of the like amount, to the satisfaction of arresting authority." Further, Uddhab Kumar Bharali has not been permitted to leave the 'territorial jurisdiction' of the police station without written permission.

However, Dr Bharali has denied the complaint of the molestation of the minor girl alleged against him. Addressing the media persons in North Lakhimpur on Friday, Dr. Bharali termed the accusations against him as a conspiracy for protesting against injustice to malign his image in the public domain. He expressed his faith in the judiciary and said that he would fight for justice. "The truth shall prevail soon," Dr. Bharali added.

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