Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president Srinivas BV has received a fresh summons from the Assam Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in the Angkita Dutta harassment case. The fresh summons comes a day after he was asked to appear before the police on May 2. The latest summons came after the National Commission for Women wrote to the state police asking them to intervene and initiate action against Srinivas. The CID has asked him to appear at its headquarters in Assam’s Guwahati on Monday for investigation.
Speaking to ABP Live, Dutta said, “The CID has asked Srinivas to appear at its headquarters in Guwahati today. He was intimated via email after I lodged the complaint against him. However, Srinivas replied, saying he won’t be able to come to Guwahati owing to health reasons.” “He is now evading and not cooperating with the agency because he used his power of office to harass me."
The All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Saturday expelled Dutta, who was the president of the Assam Pradesh Youth Congress, from the primary membership of the party for six years for indulging in “anti-party activities”. In her complaint, Dutta accused IYC National President Srinivas BV of persistently harassing her for the past six months. She said Srinivas made sexist comments and threatened dire consequences if she complained against him.
Dutta in a series of tweets had referred to Srinivas BV as “sexist” and “chauvinistic". “I am a woman leader. If I undergo such harassment, how I am supposed to encourage other women to join," read one of her tweets.
Dutta had also accused senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of not initiating action against Srinivas BV despite being apprised of the matter several months ago. The Congress has dismissed the charges, saying they were politically motivated.
When asked if she planned on joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Dutta was quick to reply that she would never join the saffron party. Dutta said that she was sure that the truth would come to light once the inquiry is completed and the Congress would remove her expulsion soon. "Srinivas cannot get away with harassment so easily," she said.