The Assam Police on Saturday booked Indian Youth Congress chief Srinivas BV on charges of assaulting and molesting former state Youth Congress president Angkita Dutta, ANI reported.

A case has been filed at the Dispur police station under sections of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to molestation, assault and words or gestures intended to outrage the modesty of a woman. Srinivas has also been booked under Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, which deals with publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.

On April 18, Dutta accused Srinivas of mentally harassing her and discriminating against her for six months. She also alleged that she was told to keep quiet and that no inquiry was initiated into her allegations.

Dutta was on Saturday expelled from the outfit’s primary membership for six years for alleged anti-party activities.

Srinivas denied the allegations and sent a legal notice to Dutta on April 18. He accused her of using “utterly unparliamentary, undignified, defamatory, malicious words” against him.

“It is also reliably learnt that you [Dutta] are in constant touch with Mr Himanta Biswa Sarma, CM of Assam, and you have been undertaking this exercise of maligning and defaming simply to create an atmosphere of leaving the Congress Party with an objective to join the BJP,” the notice read.

Dutta said that those claiming that she met a BJP leader should check close-circuit television footage at her home and office. “Honestly I am aware this could lead to an end of my political career,” she said on Twitter. “If this is the price I have to pay, so be it.”

Commenting on the expulsion, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Amit Malviya said that it was an example of the Congress’ model of women empowerment. “Sack the woman who alleged harassment instead of providing a platform to hear her grievances,” he said. “The manner in which Angkita Dutta has been removed from the Congress is uninspiring for women.”