E-Paper
Assam: Former AGP minister, wife arrested for allegedly assaulting minor girl
Soon as the video went viral, the child helpline services immediately intervened in the matter and rescued the minor on Thursday night. Following the incident, Hojai police detained the woman and her husband
The Assam police on Friday arrested Haji Rauf Chaudhury (85), former minister of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), and his wife Farhana (28) for allegedly torturing a 12-year-old girl, who they have kept as a labour.
A video of the child being abused went viral on social media on Thursday which was shared by a resident of Hojai town in which a woman can be seen allegedly beating a minor girl, police said.
Soon as the video went viral, the child helpline services immediately intervened and rescued the minor on Thursday night. Following the incident, Hojai police detained the woman and her husband.
A case was registered on Friday at Hojai police station after an initial investigation and later the couple were put under arrest and booked under 325, 34 and some other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), police said.
A senior police officer said that the couple have been booked under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 as well. They will be produced before the court on Saturday, he said.
Chandradhar Bhuyan, child helpline said, the girl, 12, has been working at the former minister’s house for a few months.
Meanwhile, Farhana told the police that she had adopted the child a year ago to give her a better life and education. However, they failed to show any document of adoption, police said.
Farhana before getting detained on Thursday evening, told the media, “The child was not focusing on her study and was not attending classes. One day her school complained to me about how inattentive she is in class. So I beat her and filmed the video intentionally.”
Farhana claimed that her husband had no idea about the video she filmed. Chaudhury also said that he had no idea about the video. “Whatever has happened is unfortunate and nobody should do such a thing,” he said.
Police said they are investigating the matter, adding there might be another person involved in the incident. Police will also interrogate the mother of the victim, an official said.
