Sexual assault, child labour charge against former Congress minister

Mannan Mallick handled the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries portfolio in the previous Hemant Soren government.

Ranchi police are set to file an FIR against former Congress minister Mannan Mallick based on a statement made by a 13-year-old girl who claims to have been sexually assaulted while employed as a maid by his family.

Apart from the fact that she was employed for 3-4 years while a minor, the girl alleges in her statement that Mallick used to approach her at night after everyone else in the house had slept. She alleges physical assault by Mallick and members of his family and claims that another girl who was with the family had become pregnant – though the statement does not mention the perpetrator.

Mallick handled the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries portfolio in the previous Hemant Soren government. He was defeated at Dhanbad in the assembly elections held last year.

The girl is herself from Dhanbad; according to her statement, she was later brought to the Ranchi house of Mallick, located in the Doranda locality of the city. She says she ran away because of repeated assaults and according to the statement – made in the presence of her mother – she says she is scared to return to the Mallick household.

Ranchi’s City SP Jaya Roy confirmed the Doranda police station is in possession of the girl’s statement. “They are studying it as we speak and will be filing an FIR in about half an hour,” she said.

Source:: Indian Express