Akhilesh Yadav tweets FIR copy, calls it sign of BJP govt’s 'frustration'
Police have secured the CCTV footage of the hotel, where the press conference was held, which later saw a scuffle between Akhilesh Yadav's security personnel and a few journalists.
Uttar Pradesh police lodged an FIR against Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and 20 unnamed party workers on Saturday under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections pertaining to rioting and voluntarily causing hurt in connection with an incident of alleged violence against journalists, a police official said. The FIR was lodged at the Paghbada police station of Moradabad, the official added.
The alleged incident occurred on Thursday during a scuffle between the security staff of the former chief minister and some local journalists after a press conference in Moradabad. At least two journalists reportedly suffered minor injuries.
Superintendent of Police (City) of Moradabad, Amit Kumar Anand said, "The FIR was lodged on the complaint of journalists who were injured in the incident. Based on the complaint, we have booked Akhilesh Yadav and 20 unidentified Samajwadi Party workers under sections 147 (rioting), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and started investigations.”
Police have secured the CCTV footage of the hotel, where the press conference was held. Another FIR was lodged against two local journalists on the complaint of the SP’s Moradabad district president Jaibir Singh Yadav.
"The second FIR is lodged against one Ubaid-ur-Rehman and Fareed Samsi, who are reportedly journalists. The duo has been booked under sections 160 (committing affray) 341(wrongful restraint), 332(causing hurt to a public servant), 353 (deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 120B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC," said the officer.
Akhilesh Yadav posted a tweet on Saturday evening regarding the FIR.
“Uttar Pradesh BJP government has filed an FIR against me, I am posting a copy of it in the interest of every citizen of the state. If the need arises, we will also install hoarding in Lucknow. The FIR is a symbol of frustration of the losing BJP,” he tweeted along with pictures of the FIR copy.
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According to people familiar with the matter, the ruckus started when some journalists allegedly tried to block the exit of Akhilesh Yadav and his security staff. This resulted in an altercation. Akhilesh Yadav, in a public rally in Rampur on Friday, alleged that the power to the lift at the hotel was also cut off to stop him. He termed the incident as an “attack” on him.