Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary came under fire from the RJD on Thursday after he briefly posted, and later deleted, a photograph that allegedly revealed the identity of a minor girl who was molested in Jamui district.
The girl, accompanied by her family, met Choudhary on Thursday. The chief minister assured them of “speedy justice” and said the culprits would face the “strongest possible punishments” within a month through a speedy trial, officials said.
RJD national working president Tejashwi Yadav shared a screenshot of the post and accused the chief minister of violating provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Yadav, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, criticised Choudhary over the incident and alleged that the chief minister had disclosed the identity of a minor victim despite police action against people who had circulated videos of the molestation.
RJD MP Misa Bharti also shared the screenshot and urged the Bihar Police to register an FIR against Choudhary, alleging that the post violated the victim's privacy.
The controversy follows an incident in Jamui in which a teenage boy and girl returning from coaching classes were allegedly stopped by a group of men on Saturday evening. The two were surrounded and questioned, following which the girl was allegedly molested and assaulted before they were allowed to leave.
RJD leaders have demanded action against those responsible for the incident as well as against anyone who disclosed the minor's identity.
(With inputs from PTI)