Bihar: Senior Cong leader steps down following charges of molesting a minor

Patna: Senior Congress leader from Bihar, Brajesh Kumar alias Brajesh Pandey, resigned following charges of molestation of a minor girl. The victim is also the daughter of a former state minister hailing from the same party.

The girl claimed that she was harassed sexually by several men including a high profile car dealer Nikhil Priyadarshi and Brajesh Pandey, who is the Congress Vice President for Bihar.

A case under POSCO (Protection of children from sexual offences) act had been registered against Pandey by the state police and a manhunt had been launched to nab him.

Police sources had earlier said, “While his residential premises were raided, it seems that he has gone into hiding after his name surfaced in the incident.”

Speaking to reporters in Patna, the victim had said that she met Brajesh Pandey through Nikhil Priyadarshi, who she claimed was her fiancé. She said, “We became friends on social media and later on the pretext of marriage, I was exploited several times by Nikhil.”

She further claimed that Priyadharshi had films of their intimate relationship which he used to blackmail her.

Her statement kicked up a political storm in Bihar with leaders from opposition party demanding immediate action against Brajesh Pandey. BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said, “Action must be initiated against Pandey if he is found involved in the heinous act.”