Outraging modesty case: Gauhati High Court denies interim relief to Youth Congress President Srinivas BV

The Gauhati High Court Wednesday refused to grant any relief to Youth Congress president Srinivas BV, booked for outraging modesty of a former female colleague [Srinivas BV vs State of Assam].Single-judge Justice Ajit Borthakur opined that any call on interim relief to Srinivas could be decided only after examining the case diary and the statement of the survivor recorded under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC)."This Court is of the considered opinion that perusal of the case diary including the statement of the victim woman under Section 164 CrPC is of utmost necessity for a just decision on the interim prayers of the petitioner. Accordingly, the interim prayer will be considered only after receipt of the scanned copy of the case diary and service of notice to the victim," the judge said in the order. .The bench was seized of a plea filed by Srinivas seeking to quash the First Information Report (FIR) lodged against him on a complaint lodged by his former colleague and the ex-president of Assam Youth Congress. In her complaint, the woman has alleged that Srinivas persistently harassed her mentally by way of sexist remarks and slang words and also threatened her with dire consequences, if she disclosed the same before the high office bearers of the Congress Party. She also alleged that during the plenary session of the Congress Party held at Mayfair Hotel in Raipur on March 25, she was heckled at the entrance of the hotel by Srinivas who allegedly held her arms and also threatened her by using slang words. She also alleged that despite informing the high office bearers of the Congress Party about his behaviour, no action was taken..However, Srinivas told the bench that the FIR was filed against him to settle political scores. He sought interim relief that is to stay the notices issued by the Dispur Police, asking him to personally appear before the officers investigating the complaint. But the bench was not inclined to grant such a relief without going through the case papers and especially the statements of the victim girl. .Senior Advocate KN Choudhury appeared for Srinivas. Advocate General D Saikia along with Public Prosecutor M Phukan represented the State. .[Read Order]