FIR against ex-UP minister’s father for violating prohibitory orders, inciting communal feelings

The Kunda police lodged an FIR against Uday Pratap Singh, the father of former Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister and Kunda MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh aka Raja Bhaiyya,

The Kunda police lodged an FIR against Uday Pratap Singh, the father of former Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister and Kunda MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh aka Raja Bhaiyya, for violating Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and inciting communal feelings on the occasion of the tenth day of the Islamic month of Muharram at Sheikhpur Ashiq village in Pratapgarh, the Pratapgarh district police chief said.

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However, Hanuman Prasad Pandey, legal advisor of Uday Pratap Singh, claimed that Uday Pratap Singh did not leave his residence, Bhadri Kothi, and there was no question of violating Section 144 and inciting communal feelings in the area by him.

Uday Pratap Singh was earlier put under house arrest on Monday after he allegedly insisted on organising a bhandara (community feast) at a Hanuman temple, which is on the route along which residents of several villages take out tazia processions on the tenth day of Muharram, the police said.

The bhandara (community feast) at the temple, which lay on the Muharram procession route, was meant to mark the death of a monkey several years ago on the 10th day of Muharram.

Superintendent of police, Pratapgarh, Abhishek Singh said an FIR was lodged against Uday Pratap Singh under Sections 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race etc) and 188 (disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and for violating Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Section 144 prohibits assembly of more than four people in an area where there is the likelihood of breach of peace and disturbance of public tranquility.

The FIR lodged by Devendra Pratap Singh, the station house officer of Kunda police station, said saffron flags were put up on the route of the tazia processions for hurting religious sentiments. Posters were also put urging the residents of Kunda area to observe a ‘bandh’ in protest against the administration not allowing the bhandara at the Hanuman temple, according to the FIR.

The administration tore off the posters at many places and arranged heavy police force for peaceful conclusion of the Muharram processions at Kunda.