RANCHI: Police on Friday registered an FIR against Congress MLA from Simdega, Bhushan Bara, under the Pocso Act after a 14-year-old girl alleged that he sexually assaulted her at his residence in Ranchi.Hatia DSP Neeraj Kumar said the girl alleged the incident took place on Aug 5. “She claimed that she was brought from Simdega by the MLA’s wife and her sister in July to enrol her in a school and on Aug 5, the MLA raped her. An FIR based on her complaint has been registered and an investigation has been launched,” Kumar said.Police sent the girl to hospital for medical examination after her complaint.Bara denied the allegations, calling them an attempt by the opposition to tarnish his image. “The girl left my house in July, and after four months she is raising allegations against me. If something as she has alleged had truly happened, she would have told her parents and taken action against me. Some expelled members of the Congress and opposition have lured the girl to bring such serious allegations against me,” the MLA said.BJP workers staged a demonstration in front of a police station on Friday demanding Bara’s arrest. BJP state president Aditya Sahu said the case had exposed Congress, which, he said, “often makes tall claims about the dignity and safety of tribal girls”.“The girl was lured to the MLA’s residence on the promise of providing her education and securing her future, but her life was instead ruined. She had also accused the MLA’s family members of assault, verbal abuse and physical and mental harassment,” Sahu said.Jharkhand Congress media in-charge Rakesh Sinha said, “Before pointing fingers at others, BJP must introspect on itself and respond to serious allegations raised against BJP functionaries. BJP should clarify its stand on questions raised over the names of individuals mentioned in public discussions surrounding the Ankita Bhandari murder case and Epstein files.”