Samajwadi Party Leader Arrested For ‘Indecent’ Remarks On Social Media

A Samajwadi Party office bearer was arrested here on Sunday for allegedly making indecent remarks on social media, police said, prompting the party workers to gather at the Uttar Pradesh Police headquarters to demand his immediate release.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav too arrived at the state police headquarters here soon after the arrest of Manish Jagan Agarwal, who worked at the party’s social media cell.

The party termed the arrest of Agarwal "condemnable" and "shameful".

Based on the complaint by Richa Rajput, the social media in-charge of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, Uttar Pradesh, a case was registered against unidentified persons under sections 354(A) (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and the IT Act at Hazratganj police station on January 4, police said.

Rajput, in her complaint,  had said, "Responsible Samajwadi Party office bearers have threatened that I will be raped. They have also threatened to kill me. They have also made indecent and vulgar remarks against me."

ADG, Law and Order, Prashant Kumar, while briefing reporters at the police headquarters, 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, who is linked to SP's media cell, has been detained.”“He was informed that a case was registered against him, and two cases were registered against the mediacell of the SP. The arrest was made after detailed investigation of electronic footprint and information collected from the service provider," Kumar said.

He said the action taken by the police was as per the law.

"The person (Agarwal) has from time to time crossed the limits of decency. He had also tweeted against journalists using indecent language and with a casteist feeling," the ADG Law and Order said.

Soon after the news of Agarwal’s arrest surfaced, scores of Samajwadi Party workers gathered outside the state police headquarters here, demanding his immediate release.

SP leader and former Leader of Opposition in UP Legislative Council Sunil Lathar told PTI that Agarwal is associated with the party's social media cell.

Earlier, Assistant CP, Hazratganj, Arvind Kumar Verma told PTI, "Manish Jagan Agarwal has been arrested for making indecent and derogatory remarks 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, adding different cases are registered against Agarwal in this regard.

In a tweet in Hindi, the Samajwadi Party said, "Honourable national president (of Samajwadi Party) Akhilesh Yadav has reached police headquarters, Lucknow. There is no responsible ('zimmedaar') person at the headquarters." The party's official Twitter handle also posted photographs of Yadav, SP leader Rajendra Chaudhary and others at the police headquarters.

SP's chief spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary, who is also present at the place, told PTI, "So far, no person has met us here (at the UP police headquarters). SP's national president Akhilesh Yadav is at the UP Police Headquarters. We are trying to ascertain the reason for which SP worker Manish Jagan Agarwal has been arrested."

While he was waiting at the headquarters, Samajwadi Party chief Yadav refused to have tea offered to him, alleging he might be "poisoned". 

In a video that was flashed on news channels, Yadav could be heard saying, "I will not drink the tea of this place. I will have tea from outside (the UP Police headquarters). I cannot drink. If poison is given, then? (hum nahi pee sakte hai, zahar de doge tab?) Yes, I do not have faith (in this tea). I will order from outside. You (addressing to the person serving tea) have your tea, I will have my tea)."

The SP chief was then heard instructing a person to see whether any tea shop had opened outside.

Later, speaking to reporters, Yadav said the police and the administration were acting as the party workers of the BJP.

"When I reached the police headquarters, no one was seen, and it was lying empty. If there is no one to listen to in the police headquarters, then imagine the situation across UP," he said.

Responding to allegations of Yadav that he might have been “poisoned”,  ADG, Law and Order, Kumar told reporters, "A national president of a party had come to the DGP headquarters here. Since he is himself an MLA, he was allowed to come in. Other MLAs who accompanied him were also allowed to come inside the office. The rest of the people were not. Since it was Sunday, officials were present as per requirement, and he (Yadav) spoke with them. Officials of the local police also came."

"Subsequently, officials who were present here offered him tea, and he had tea. They properly presented themselves and listened to him. He was briefed about everything, and he went from here satisfied,” Kumar added.

He said no information was given in advance about the visit Yadav to the UP police headquarters.

-With PTI Input