CUTTACK: The Special MP, MLA Court on Thursday framed charges against former Lok Sabha MP and actor Anubhav Mohanty in a case of insulting modesty of woman and cruelty filed by Varsha Priyadarshini in 2020, prior to their divorce.
Presiding Judge Deepankar Bal framed the charges against Anubhav and posted the case for start of trial with depositions by witnesses from June 25. Assistant public prosecutor Afroz Ahmed said the charges against Anubhav were framed under sections 509 (insulting modesty of woman), 498 A (cruelty), 341 (wrongful restraint), 294 (use of obscene language) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
The court had on May 13 issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Anubhav following his continued absence from hearing for framing of charges in the case. However, the court granted him bail when Anubhav appeared before it on Thursday.
The charges were framed on the basis of a charge sheet submitted after investigation on a complaint Varsha Priyadarshini had lodged at the Purighat police station. According to the complaint, Anubhav and his two aides Sujit Dalei and Khagendra Prasad Sahoo had locked her up in a room in his house at Nandi Sahi in Cuttack on December 18, 2020. Later, a police team rescued her and registered a case against Anubhav on December 19, 2020. The alleged incident occurred when Anubhav and Varsha were fighting a battle in court for divorce.
The court of SDJM, Cuttack, took cognizance of the case on December 20, 2023 and sent it for framing of charges and trial by the Special Court for MPs and MLAs.