Misa Bharti seeks FIR against Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary over Jamui POCSO row
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
RJD Rajya Sabha MP Misa Bharti on Friday, 25 September 2026, arrived at the Secretariat Police Station in Patna demanding registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary over a social media photograph he shared featuring the family of a minor girl at the centre of the Jamui molestation case. Bharti alleged the post violated the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act — the same law under which over 250 individuals have reportedly already been booked in connection with the case.
What Happened at the Police Station
Bharti submitted a written complaint at the Secretariat Police Station and waited for a response, but alleged that police refused to accept her complaint or register an FIR. She subsequently left without any case being registered. The alleged refusal drew sharp comments from the opposition leader about the accessibility of the justice system for ordinary citizens.
'We have not come to the Secretariat police station to play caste politics. We are elected representatives of the people, Members of Parliament. If my FIR is not being registered, one can only imagine the plight of ordinary citizens of Bihar at police stations,' Bharti said after leaving the station.
The POCSO Allegation Against the Chief Minister
The controversy stems from a photograph Chief Minister Choudhary shared on social media platform X on Thursday, during what he described as an interaction with the victim's family in the Jamui case. Bharti alleged the image disclosed the identity of the minor's family in a manner inconsistent with POCSO protections. The post was reportedly deleted approximately 20 minutes after it was published.
'The Chief Minister of Bihar was holding a photo session after summoning the victimised girl and her family members. On one hand, cases are being registered against news channels for violating the POCSO Act. Yet, he himself shared a photo on X that violates the same Act, only to delete the post after realising the error twenty minutes later. Does this constitute a violation of the POCSO Act or not?' Bharti asked.
Tejashwi Yadav Escalates the Pressure
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had earlier raised the same POCSO concern, questioning why police had taken cognisance against ordinary social media users and media personnel over the Jamui case content, but had not moved against the Chief Minister over his now-deleted post. Yadav warned that if police failed to register an FIR against Choudhary, he would approach the court directly. He argued that the law must apply equally regardless of political position.
Bharti also highlighted that Choudhary simultaneously holds the portfolios of both Chief Minister and Home Minister — a dual role that, critics argue, creates a structural conflict of interest when seeking accountability from the police hierarchy.
Broader Women's Safety Concerns Raised
Bharti referenced a series of recent incidents involving girls and women across Jamui, Samastipur, Banka, Madhepura, and Darbhanga, alleging a pattern of deteriorating women's safety in Bihar. These cases, she argued, warranted urgent scrutiny of the state government's response to crimes against women and minors.
What Comes Next
The central legal question now is whether authorities will formally accept Bharti's complaint and whether the photograph shared by the Chief Minister will be examined under the POCSO Act. Any determination of a violation would depend on the facts and evidence available to the authorities. With Tejashwi Yadav threatening court intervention and the opposition intensifying pressure, the case is set to remain politically charged in the days ahead.