Victim taken to rest house where crime was allegedly committed
TNR News Network
Chamba:
Troubles seem to be growing for former Deputy Speaker and Churah BJP MLA Hans Raj, who has now been summoned to the Chamba Women police station at 10 am on Monday (November 10, 2025) in a case registered under the POCSO Act.
The action comes amid mounting public outrage and growing demands for his arrest after a local minority community girl accused him of sexual exploitation and intimidation.
The police on Sunday took the survivor to the Kihar rest house, where she claims the MLA had called her. Officers conducted hours long searches and collected crucial technical and circumstantial evidence from the room and surrounding premises. The survivor alleged that the exploitation took place at this very location.
The case escalated on Friday when the girl appeared before the women police station to file a complaint. The matter reached the court on November 7, where the magistrate recorded her statement and immediately directed the police to register an FIR under the POCSO Act. Following the court’s order, the FIR was filed the same day.
Women groups demand immediate arrest, resignation
The All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) has intensified pressure on the government and the police, demanding Hans Raj’s arrest and his immediate resignation from the Assembly.
Association state president Veena Vaidya and secretary Phalma Chauhan said the allegations by the young woman and her family were extremely serious and warranted swift, impartial investigation.
They said the MLA’s conduct reflected “inhuman and abusive behaviour” and accused the BJP of harbouring a “deep-seated anti-women mindset”. The organisation warned of a statewide agitation if the police failed to act decisively against the MLA and his associates.
The survivor has alleged sexual harassment, intimidation of her family and coercion, accusations that the AIDWA says cannot be ignored given the gravity of the POCSO provisions invoked.
Police expand probe; MLA remains unreachable
Chamba ASP Hitesh Lakhanpal confirmed issuance of the notice summoning the MLA. A police team also visited Hans Raj’s residence on Saturday, but he was not found. His mobile phones remain switched off and police are examining tower locations to trace his movements.
Sources indicate that the MLA is seeking anticipatory bail from the Himachal Pradesh High Court to avoid arrest. Police officials say the case pertains to an incident from the past, making thorough evidence collection crucial.
On Saturday, the survivor was presented before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), which recorded her statements and videographed the proceedings.
Notably, the same young woman had last year accused the MLA of engaging in obscene chats, a matter that was later settled mutually. Police stress that the current investigation will be based solely on evidence and conducted impartially.
Women’s commission seeks fresh report
The Himachal Pradesh State Commission for Women has sought a detailed report from newly posted Chamba SP Vijay Saklani. Commission chairperson Vidya Negi said a report had been sought earlier as well, but was not received. With the transfer of the previous SP, the Commission has now asked again for updated findings and the latest status of the probe.
If arrested, Assembly Speaker must be informed
Officials familiar with legislative procedures said that if the MLA is arrested, the Assembly Speaker will have to be formally notified. However, prior permission of the Speaker is needed only when a legislator is inside the Assembly premises, a condition that does not apply in the present situation.
As the police tighten the noose and women’s organisations amplify their demand for accountability, the political and legal storm around Hans Raj continues to grow, signalling that the troubles for the former Deputy Speaker are far from ending.
