Lucknow: Samajwadi Party leader arrested for alleged objectionable remarks about BJP functionary
On January 4, BJP youth wing social media chief had accused unidentified Samajwadi Party members of making online threats to rape and kill her.
A Samajwadi Party leader was arrested in Lucknow on Sunday morning, triggering a protest by party members outside the Uttar Pradesh Police headquarters demanding his release, PTI reported.
Manish Jagan Agarwal, who the police said handles the Samjawadi Party’s social media cell, allegedly has multiple complaints against him. Agarwal was taken into custody following a complaint filed by Richa Rajput, social media in-charge of the Bharatiya Janata Party youth wing. On January 4, Rajput accused unidentified Samajwadi Party office bearers of making online threats to rape and kill her.
Agarwal has been booked under Sections 354A (sexual harassment), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and various provisions of the Information Technology Act, the police said.
“There are multiple cases against the SP media cell and against Manish Agarwal,” Assistant Commissioner of Police (Hazratganj) Arvind Kumar Verma said, according to The Indian Express. “The latest one was lodged on Wednesday. He was arrested on Sunday morning.”
Meanwhile, Rajput was also booked in a first information report registered on Sunday afternoon. The Samajwadi Party’s Uttar Pradesh unit chief Naresh Uttam Patel filed a complaint alleging that she had used objectionable language against party MP Dimple Yadav, who is married to Akhilesh Yadav.
On Sunday afternoon, several Samajwadi Party leaders, including Akhilesh Yadav held a demonstration at the police headquarters in Lucknow. Akhilesh Yadav met Agarwal in jail as well.
Speaking to reporters, the Samajwadi Party chief accused the police and the administration of acting like members of the BJP.
“When I reached the police headquarters, no one was to be seen, and it was lying empty,” he said, according to PTI. “If there is no one to listen to in the police headquarters, then imagine the situation across UP.”