Congress worker booked for molestation

The Delhi Police on Tuesday filed an FIR against a social media team member of the Congress after a former colleague accused him of molestation.

"The complainant said she was a member of the Congress social media team. Since the offences are cognisable, we booked accused Chirag Patnaik at the North Avenue police station under Sections 354A and 509 of the Indian penal Code," New Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police Madhur Verma told reporters here.

Patnaik is a social media Manager on the Congress social media team, while the complainant no longer works there.

Congress social media head Divya Spandana issued a statement with signatures of Patnaik's team members vouching for his good character.

Spandana said she was unaware of the incident till she was approached by a reporter and that since then had reached out to the complainant and is awaiting her response.

"The complaints committee does not have any written/verbal/official/unofficial complain from the ex-worker, neither do we have access to the complainant...

"The team has also come out in support of the current worker (accused) based on the interactions and experience of working with him. The teams has also recalled some of their conversations with the ex-worker (complainant) and has no reason to believe that the current worker could have misbehaved with the ex-worker," read her statement on Twitter.

"We are awaiting a response from the ex-worker and until then we hold this as inconclusive," it added.

The Bharatiya Janata Party had urged Delhi Police to file an FIR.

"We appeal to the Delhi Police to register an FIR and also ensure the safety of the woman who complained of sexual harassment at the social media office of the Congress," BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi told reporters.

--IANS

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