Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday filed a chargesheet against BJP MP from Pilibhit Varun Gandhi at a Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court here for his alleged hate speeches in March during campaign for Lok Sabha polls.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Vipin Kumar has summoned Varun on August 17, the next date of hearing on the matter.
“The chargesheet was filed this afternoon by investigating officer Mani Ram Rao in a case registered with Barkhera police station under section 153(A) (promoting enmity on religious grounds), 125 of Representation of the People Act and other relevant sections of the IPC on March 17,” official sources said.
29-year-old Varun, who was arrested on March 29 by Uttar Pradesh Police, is currently out on bail.
The state government had on July 3 granted sanction to Pilibhit police to file a chargesheet against Varun.
The Pilibhit administration, after receiving the forensic report from FSL Chandigarh that the CDs of Varun’s inflammatory speeches were not tampered with, had sought permission from the government to file chargesheet against the BJP MP in June.
Cases were registered against Varun on March 17 at Barkheda police station on direction of the Election Commission for allegedly delivering inflammatory speeches there on March 8. Another FIR was registered against him on March 19 for allegedly delivering another hate speech in Desh Nagar locality of Pilibhit town on March 7.
{{/usCountry}}Cases were registered against Varun on March 17 at Barkheda police station on direction of the Election Commission for allegedly delivering inflammatory speeches there on March 8. Another FIR was registered against him on March 19 for allegedly delivering another hate speech in Desh Nagar locality of Pilibhit town on March 7.
{{/usCountry}}The cases were lodged under the provision of IPC, including Section 153 (inciting communal feelings), Representation of People’s Act and violation of model code of conduct. Chargsheet in Desh Nagar locality case is yet to be filed.
Varun was granted bail in two cases relating to alleged hate speeches after his arrest but was charged under the National Security Act (NSA) and spent three weeks in detention till he was granted conditional bail on April 16 by the Supreme Court.
On May 8, an advisory Board in Uttar Pradesh held as invalid Varun’s detention under NSA. On May 14, the Supreme Court had directed the Mayawati government to immediately drop charges under NSA against Varun.