Remarks against MLA: UP Cong chief booked

Lucknow: An FIR was registered against Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai in the Sarojininagar police station area on Thursday for allegedly making defamatory remarks against local BJP MLA Rajeshwar Singh, police said on Friday.The complaint was filed by BJP leader Shivshankar Singh alias Shankari, who alleged that Rai made false, defamatory and provocative statements against Singh during a ‘Samvidhan Samvad Mahapanchayat' at Natkur Tiraha on Gauri-Bijnor Road on Feb 1.
According to the complaint, Rai allegedly accused the BJP MLA of "looting the country and Lucknow", claims which the complainant termed baseless. It was further alleged that the speech was recorded and circulated on social media. Shankari claimed that the video was uploaded from a Facebook account named ‘Rudradaman Singh' and garnered over 25,000 views, raising apprehensions of disturbance to public peace, escalation of political tension and a possible law-and-order situation. The complaint also alleged criminal conspiracy and common intent among those who delivered, recorded and circulated the speech. Additional DCP Vasanth Kumar said an FIR was registered for circulating false information) and breach of peace) against UPCC chief.