Assam: Mahila Cong chief demands removal of IPS officer facing allegations under POSCO Act

Guwahati, May 21: All India Mahila Congress President Sushmita Dev today dashed off a letter to Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma over appointment of an IPS officer, facing allegations of sexually assaulting a minor, as a district Superintendent of Police.

In the letter, the former MP from Assam pointed that the case against the IPS officer had been registered in January 2020, and is still being probed by the CID, Assam Police, under sections 354, 354A (assault or criminal force to outrage modesty, sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

"The charge sheet, accessed by news portals, mentions that "sufficient evidence" had been found to prove that the accused "committed aggravated sexual assault as defined under section 9(a)(iv) and section 9(c) of the POCSO Act, 2012, as well as offences under section 354 and 354 A of IPC," Dev has written.

"It is a matter of serious concern that a police officer charged with sexual assault of a minor is given responsibility of maintaining law and order of a district in Assam," she added.

Dev has requested the chief minister to "immediately suspend the appointment order of the said officer and ensure justice through a speedy investigation and trial".

Gaurav Upadhyay, who was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, has been named the new Superintendent of Police (SP) of Chirang district.

Upadhyay, a 2012 batch IPS officer from Uttar Pradesh, was Karbi Anglong police superintendent when he allegedly sexually assaulted the girl in December 2019.