DEHRADUN: In two separate incidents, police in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand have registered cases against two BJP leaders for alleged sexual harassment. In one case, a district-level leader of the party has been arrested, while in the other, a case of rape and intimidation has been filed against another leader, with questioning of the accused underway.
"A widow from Bindukhatta has levelled serious allegations against Mukesh Bora, Administrator of the Uttarakhand Cooperative Dairy Federation.," police said.
The victim claims that Bora promised her a permanent job and exploited her physically. She alleged that on November 10, 2021, he raped her at a hotel in Kathgodam. Even after the incident, she was threatened and intimidated multiple times and forced to remain silent.
In a written complaint to the police, the victim has made additional allegations, stating, "Bora also pressured her to engage in relationships with his friends and threatened to kill her if she refused."
The victim further claims that "Mukesh Bora and his driver, Kamal Belwal, have been consistently threatening to kill her and her children." The victim is a daily wage worker at Nainital Dairy Federation in Lalkuan.
"On November 10, 2021, BJP leader Mukesh Bora called me and asked me to meet him at Jayka Hotel in Kathgodam. He said he would introduce me to someone who could help me get a permanent job. However, after I arrived, no one showed up", said the victim in her complaint, adding, alleged, "Bora then started touching me, and when I objected, he ignored my protests and forcibly raped me, promising me a permanent job."
The victim further alleged that Bora threatened her, saying: "If you tell anyone about this, I'll remove you from your daily wage job and circulate your photos." The victim claimed she remained silent due to fear, as she has two young children to care for.
Dinesh Singh Fartiyal, SHO of Lalkuan, told TNIE, "A case has been registered against both named accused under sections 376 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code. Since the incident occurred in 2021, the new 'Bhartiya Nyay Sahinta' does not apply. Investigations are ongoing based on evidence, but no arrests have been made yet."
In a separate case, Bhagwat Singh Bora, BJP Mandal President of Salt Block in Almora district, was arrested by police late at night from Marchula Road. SSP Devendra Pincha confirmed, "The accused has been produced in court and sent to jail."
The BJP has expelled Bhagwat Singh Bora from the party following his arrest. Meanwhile, in the Lalkua case, the government has removed Mukesh Bora, also accused of rape, from his post as Administrator of the Uttarakhand Cooperative Dairy Federation.
The main opposition party in the state, Congress, has unleashed a scathing attack on the BJP, demanding accountability from the state's BJP government for all cases of sexual assault that have occurred in the past year, involving senior party leaders.