Archive · 2 Dec 2025
Gauhati HC Discharges Mevani in 2022 Assault Case
The Gauhati High Court has decided that Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani should not be charged with a serious crime (Section 354 of IPC) for an incident that happened in 2022.
The court said that continuing with this charge would be unfair.
However, Mevani still has to face a lesser charge (Section 352 of IPC) for the same incident.
The incident involved a woman police officer who said Mevani behaved inappropriately towards her while he was being taken to a police station.
The court looked at all the details and decided that the serious charge did not fit what happened.
Mevani was first arrested in April 2022 and has been fighting these charges since then.
Gauhati High Court discharged Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani of charges under Section 354 of IPC for an incident in 2022.
The court upheld charges under Section 352 of IPC, which carries a lesser punishment.
The incident involved a woman police officer who alleged inappropriate behavior by Mevani while he was being escorted in a police vehicle.
The court found that the allegations did not meet the threshold required for Section 354 of IPC, preventing abuse of process and miscarriage of justice.
Mevani was arrested in April 2022 and has been facing these charges since then.
- Who
- Jignesh Mevani, a Congress MLA, and a woman police officer
- What
- Gauhati High Court discharged Mevani of charges under Section 354 of IPC but upheld charges under Section 352
- When
- The incident occurred on April 26, 2022, and the judgment was passed on November 28, 2023
- Where
- The incident took place in a police vehicle in Assam, India
- Why
- The court found that the allegations did not meet the threshold required for Section 354 of IPC, preventing abuse of process and miscarriage of justice
- Person Involved
- Jignesh Mevani (Congress MLA)
- Charges Discharged
- Section 354 of IPC (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty)
- Charges Upheld
- Section 352 of IPC (Assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation)
- Punishment for Section 352
- Imprisonment of three months or fine up to Rs 500 or both
- Punishment for Section 354
- Imprisonment of five years and fine
- Date of Incident
- April 26, 2022
- Date of Judgment
- November 28, 2023