In a significant judicial decision, the Patna High Court has quashed an FIR against Sanjiv Hans, a senior IAS officer of the Bihar cadre, previously accused of rape by a woman practicing law at the Allahabad High Court. The ruling was delivered on Tuesday by Justice Sandeep Kumar, providing substantial relief to Hans.
The FIR was lodged last year at the Rupaspur police station in Patna, based on allegations made by a woman hailing from Aurangabad district. The complaint implicated not only Hans but also his alleged associate, Gulab Yadav, a former MLA from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
The complainant accused Hans and Yadav of sexually exploiting her under the pretense of assisting her in becoming a member of the State Women’s Commission. These serious allegations came amidst other legal troubles for Hans, including a recent raid by the Enforcement Directorate concerning a separate money laundering case.
Justice Kumar’s decision to quash the FIR hinged on the assessment that the charges against Hans were unsubstantiated. The court noted that the story presented by the complainant seemed “false and fabricated” and highlighted the problematic delay in the lodging of the FIR. The judgment emphasized that “no offence is made against the petitioner,” effectively dismissing the claims against Hans.
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The quashing of the FIR lifts the legal shadow hanging over Hans, who had been removed from a significant position in the power department due to the ongoing investigations. The case also drew attention due to the involvement of Gulab Yadav, who has faced political isolation following his tenure as an RJD MLA.
