The Gauhati High Court has issued a notice to the Assam government asking why charges were framed against a transgender beggar on the basis of a complaint that he had disguised as “a eunuch” to collect money illegally.
One Mohammed Aizuddin had on January 27 lodged an FIR at western Assam’s Fakiragram police station accusing Md Hafizur Rahman, who used to be a cleric at a local mosque, of “faking his gender to extort money”. Rahman was arrested and charges were framed against him by a local court after investigation.
Rahman challenged the charges against him in the High Court. Last week, his counsel argued that a person cannot be chargesheeted on the basis of a complaint doubting his status as a transgender when he was not medically examined either during the investigation or at the time of framing of the charges.
After hearing the parties, Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak issued a notice to the State government as well as the complainant and fixed February 7 as the next date of hearing.
