POCSO charge against BSP leaders for derogatory remarks

Police will add certain sections of POCSO Act in the FIR against some BSP leaders for their alleged lewd remarks against expelled BJP leader Dayashankar Singh's family members.

"Sub-section (1) of section 11 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act will be included in the FIR lodged by Dayashankar's mother Tetra Devi on July 22," a senior police officer told PTI.

As per sub-section (1) of section 11 of POCSO Act, 2012, a person is said to have committed sexual harassment on a child when such person, with sexual intent, utters any word or makes any sound or gesture or exhibits any object or part of body with the intention that such word or sound shall be heard, or such gesture or object or part of body shall be seen by the child.

The 78-year-old mother of Dayashankar had lodged the FIR at the Hazratganj police station here against BSP supremo Mayawati, state BSP chief Ram Achal Rajbhar, national general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui and national secretary Mewalal besides some unknown workers.

Dayashankar's wife Swati had been demanding inclusion of POCSO Act sections against the BSP leaders who allegedly made derogatory comments against her 12-year-old daughter and mother-in-law.

The POCSO Act was brought by the UPA government in 2012 to effectively deal with cases of sexual exploitation of children, especially minor girls.

The FIR was been registered under sections 120B (punishment for criminal conspiracy), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups), 504 (intentional insult with intent to breach peace), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 509 (word, gesture or act to insult modesty of woman) of the IPC.

An FIR was filed against Dayashankar on July 20 on the basis of a complaint filed by Mewalal for making derogatory remarks against Mayawati in Mau.

Dayashankar was arrested in Buxar in Bihar and sent to jail on July 29.