A Samajwadi Party functionary was arrested here on Sunday for allegedly making hate comments on social media, police said, prompting party workers to gather at the Uttar Pradesh police headquarters to demand his immediate release. .
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Soon after the arrest of Manish Jagan Agarwal, who worked in the social media cell of the party, he reached the state police headquarters here.
The party termed Agarwal’s arrest as ‘condemnable’ and ‘shameful’.
A case was registered under sections 354(A) (punishment for sexual harassment and sexual assault), 504 (intentional insult) against unknown persons based on a complaint by Richa Rajput, social media in-charge of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, Uttar Pradesh . A case was registered on January 4 at the Hazratganj police station under Indian Penal Code section 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and the IT Act, with intent to provoke breach of the peace, police said.
Rajput had said in his complaint, “The responsible Samajwadi Party officials have threatened that I will be raped. He has also threatened to kill me. He has also made vulgar and indecent remarks against me.”
Briefing reporters at the police headquarters, ADG, law and order, Prashant Kumar said, “The national president of a party (referring to Akhilesh Yadav) had come to the DGP headquarters along with other MLAs. He asked why Manish Jagan Agarwal, associated with SP’s media cell, has been detained.
“He was informed that a case was registered against him, and two against the SP’s mediacell. The arrest has been made after a detailed investigation of the electronic footprint and information collected from the service provider,” Kumar said.
He said that the action taken by the police is as per the law.
“The person (Agarwal) has crossed the limits of decency from time to time. ADG Law and Order said that he had also tweeted against journalists using indecent language and casteist sentiment.
Soon after the news of Agarwal’s arrest broke, Samajwadi Party workers gathered outside the state police headquarters here demanding his immediate release.
SP leader and former Leader of Opposition in the UP Legislative Council Sunil Lather told PTI that Agarwal is associated with the social media cell of the party.
Earlier, Hazratganj’s Assistant CP Arvind Kumar Verma told PTI-Bhasha, “Manish Jagan Agarwal has been arrested for making indecent and derogatory comments on social media. He was arrested on Sunday morning. A case was registered against him on January 4 under the IT Act.
“He has made indecent and derogatory remarks on social media, including on women,” Verma said. There are separate cases registered against Agarwal in this regard.
In a tweet in Hindi, the Samajwadi Party said, “Hon’ble National President (Samajwadi Party) Akhilesh Yadav has reached Police Headquarters, Lucknow. There is no responsible (‘responsible’) person at the headquarters.”
Pictures of Yadav, SP leader Rajendra Chowdhary and others at the police headquarters were also posted by the party’s official Twitter handle.
SP’s chief spokesperson Rajendra Chowdhary, who was present at the spot, told PTI, “So far no one has been received from us here (at the UP police headquarters). SP’s national president Akhilesh Yadav is at the UP Police Headquarters. We are trying to find out why SP worker Manish Jagan Agarwal has been arrested.
While he waited at the headquarters, Samajwadi Party chief Yadav refused to serve him tea, alleging that he might be “poisoned”.
In a video aired on news channels, Yadav can be heard saying, “I will not drink tea here. I will take tea from outside (UP police headquarters). I can’t drink If poisoned? (We can’t drink, poison the dogs then?) Yes, I don’t trust (this tea). I will order from outside. You (addressing the tea-seller) have your tea, I’ll have mine.
Later speaking to reporters, Yadav said that the police and administration were acting like BJP workers.
“When I reached the police headquarters, no one showed up, and it was lying empty. If there is no one to listen in the police headquarters, then imagine the situation in the whole of UP.
Responding to Yadav’s allegation that he might have been ‘poisoned’, ADG, Law and Order, Kumar told reporters, “The national president of a party had come to the DGP headquarters here. Since he himself is an MLA, he should were allowed inside. Other MLAs accompanying him were also allowed inside the office. Others were not. Being a Sunday, officials were present as required and he (Yadav) spoke to them. Local police officials also came.”
“After this, the officials present here offered him tea, and he drank the tea. He introduced himself properly and listened to them. He was told about everything and left satisfied.
He said that no information was given in advance about Yadav coming to the UP Police Headquarters.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)