Ex-Tripura minister detained by Delhi Police on molestation charge

New Delhi, June 29 (IANS) The Delhi Police on Wednesday booked former Tripura Minister and sitting Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) MLA Mevar Kumar Jamatia in a sexual harassment case, an official said here.

The incident took place at the Tripura Bhawan in Delhi on Tuesday night at around 9.30 p.m.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi), Amrutha Guguloth, said a complaint of molestation was lodged by a woman at around 2. 35 a.m. on Wednesday.

"The accused has been served a notice under Section 41(A) of the CrPc," the DCP said.

Based on the complaint, an FIR was also registered against the veteran tribal leader under Sections 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 354 (A) (Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code.

Meanwhile, Joint Resident Commissioner of the Tripura Bhawan, Ranjit Das, in a letter to Tripura government apprised it of the incident that happened on Tuesday night.

"It is to inform that a team of Delhi Police had visited Tripura Bhawan twice yesterday night and met a woman student studying in Delhi and staying in the Bhawan temporarily. They recorded her statement regarding her complaint against Mebar Kr Jamatia, MLA. The police team visited again early in the morning and took both the woman and Mebar Kr Jamatia to the police station," the letter, accessed by IANS, read.

After the BJP-Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) alliance government came to power in March 2018, IPFT General Secretary Jamatia and President Narendra Chandra Debbarma became ministers.

Recently, due to internal feud, Jamatia kept distance with the IPFT while his wife Gita Debbarma joined the TIPRA (Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance) headed by Tripura's royal scion, Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman, fuelling speculations that he (Jamatia) may also join the TIPRA.

Jamatia was dropped from the council of ministers headed by Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha in May, and Prem Kumar Reang represented the ministry as the IPFT nominee.