The Bihar police have failed to make any arrests in the case of an alleged sexual assault of a Dalit girl who happens to be the daughter of a senior Congress leader and former Bihar minister, even after two weeks of the incident coming to light. After the victim lodged an FIR with the SC/ST police station in Patna, a well-organised sex racket, allegedly run by one Nikhil Priyadarshi, an automobile businessman and son of a retired IAS officer, has emerged. Brajesh Pandey, who recently resigned from the post of state Congress vice-president after his name figured in a police report for being part of the sex racket allegedly run by Priyadarshi, has been made a non-FIR accused in the case and has been booked under the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO), since the girl was a minor when the incident happened.
The Congress is part of the ruling alliance in Bihar, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The case, sources said, has created ripples in the state as it is suspected that many powerful people could be linked to the sex racket, as alleged by the victim. As per complaint of the girl, Priyadarshi had promised marriage, but later she realised that he, alongwith others, was running a sex racket. She has also alleged that she was not the only one to have been exploited by Priyadarshi.
Both Pandey, whose resignation has been accepted, and Priyadarshi have been on the run ever since their names figured in the sex scandal. Pandey, who had unsuccessfully contested from Govindganj constituency in East Champaran in 2015, had pleaded innocence in his resignation letter. While the BJP has accused the state government of “going slow on” and “hushing up” the case and “protecting the culprits under pressure”, the ruling JDU says “Nitish Kumar na kisi ko phansate hain aur na kisi ko bachate hain”.
“The Nitish Kumar government is giving protection to the accused. The police have not been able to arrest the culprits in the case even after much time has elapsed, despite the fact that they have got sufficient evidence against them. This clearly indicates that they are under pressure from the top, since many high-profile, powerful people are involved,” state BJP president Nityanand Rai told The Sunday Guardian.
However, JDU spokesperson Sanjay Singh said: “Chief Minister Nitish Kumar neither traps nor protects anybody. There is no interference from the government. The law is taking its own course. Investigations are going on and anyone, however powerful he or she may be, will not be spared.” The girl, sources said, has demanded an investigation by a senior police officer apprehending that the case might be diluted because of the involvement of many well-connected people, including Pandey. A Patna court this week rejected the anticipatory bail petition of Nikhil Priyadarshi. On the other hand, the court heard the bail petition of Brajesh Pandey on Friday and fixed the matter for 9 March.