A 23-year-old case involving Jenny and former Uttarakhand minister Harak Singh Rawat has returned to the centre of political debate ahead of the 2027 assembly election. The issue resurfaced while Congress was questioning the government over women’s safety and the alleged role of a VIP in the Ankita Bhandari murder case.

The BJP brought the old Jenny case into the debate, targeting Rawat, who is now a senior Congress leader and chairman of the party’s election management committee. However, the controversy changed direction on 7 November, when Jenny appeared in Dehradun and made fresh allegations against Rawat.

Jenny accused Rawat of rape, sexual exploitation and mental harassment. She demanded another CBI investigation and a DNA test involving her son. She also submitted a complaint to the Director General of Police.

These are allegations made by Jenny and should not be treated as established findings. Rawat has said that the case was previously investigated by the CBI and that DNA testing had already taken place.

Why the case resurfaced now

The timing is linked to Congress’s statewide Uttarakhand Nyay Yatra over the Ankita Bhandari murder case. The campaign began on 22 October and covered Garhwal, Kumaon, Dehradun and Haridwar through 4 different parties, according to the report.

Congress has used Ankita’s case to raise questions about justice for the victim, women’s safety, law and order, and the government’s accountability. Rawat himself led the campaign in Haridwar, giving the old case added political significance.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami criticised the Congress campaign on 25 October and questioned the party’s role in the Ankita case. The BJP then began bringing the Jenny case into the public debate.

On 1 November, BJP state president Mahendra Bhatt questioned the identity of Jenny’s child’s father and said the information should be made public. Bhatt also said the matter dated to the Congress government and that Jenny had named Rawat at the time.

Why Harak Singh Rawat is central to the dispute

Rawat has held ministerial positions in both BJP and Congress governments in Uttarakhand. He is currently with Congress and has a key organisational role as chairman of its election management committee.

That position makes the dispute politically important before the 2027 election. The BJP’s questions have focused on the child’s paternity and the earlier investigation, while Congress has defended Rawat and challenged the political use of the case.

After Bhatt raised the issue, Rawat responded by referring to Bhatt’s DNA test. On 5 November, Bhatt said he was prepared to undergo DNA testing and asked Rawat to come forward for another test as well.

Congress state president Ganesh Godiyal defended Rawat. He said Rawat had been acquitted by a CBI court and argued that a defamation case should be filed against Bhatt.

What happened in 2003

The original case emerged during the government of Narayan Dutt Tiwari in 2003. Rawat was the revenue minister at the time. Jenny gave birth to a child at a government hospital in Dehradun on 15 June 2003 and identified the then minister as the child’s father.

The matter was raised in the Uttaranchal Legislative Assembly on 18 June. The BJP, then in opposition, strongly raised the issue against the Congress government. After the controversy grew, Rawat resigned from the ministerial .

Tiwari recommended a CBI investigation. The agency began a preliminary inquiry on 12 July 2003. On 25 July 2003, the CBI registered a case against Rawat under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code based on Jenny’s statement.

The report states that DNA samples did not match during the investigation. Rawat subsequently received relief. Rawat has now said that the CBI and DNA investigations were completed earlier, and that a court had already ruled on the matter and approved the investigation report.

A changed political equation

The case was previously used by the BJP against a Congress government. The political positions are now reversed: BJP is in power and Congress is in opposition. The same dispute has therefore acquired a new role in the contest before the 2027 assembly election.

Jenny’s appearance on 7 November has also moved the issue beyond statements about paternity and exchanges between political leaders. Her allegations, request for a fresh CBI probe and demand for a DNA test have placed the focus on whether the authorities will examine her complaint independently.

Rawat has accused the BJP of trying to divert attention from the Ankita Bhandari murder case. He has also said he will approach the courts against those attempting to damage his reputation.

Conclusion

The Jenny case has re-entered Uttarakhand’s political debate through the dispute over the Ankita Bhandari campaign. Its next significance will depend on how the authorities respond to Jenny’s complaint and demands, while the competing political claims remain allegations or attributed statements rather than a new judicial finding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the Jenny case?

The case began in 2003 after Jenny identified then minister Harak Singh Rawat as the father of her child. A CBI case was later registered under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code.

Q. What did Jenny allege on 7 November?

Jenny accused Rawat of rape, sexual exploitation and mental harassment. She also sought another CBI investigation and a DNA test involving her son.

Q. What action did Jenny take with the police?

She submitted a complaint to the Director General of Police.

Q. Why did the case return to political debate?

The BJP raised it during Congress’s campaign over the Ankita Bhandari case. The controversy gained fresh attention after Jenny appeared publicly in Dehradun.

Q. What was Rawat’s response?

Rawat said that CBI and DNA investigations had already taken place and that a court had ruled on the matter. He also accused the BJP of diverting attention from the Ankita case.

Q. What did the earlier investigation report say about DNA samples?

The report states that the DNA samples did not match during the investigation.

Q. What is Rawat’s current role in Congress?

Rawat is a Congress leader and chairman of the party’s election management committee.