SP leader booked for remarks against Modi

Meerut/UP, Jan 6 (IANS) Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Atul Pradhan was booked after a video in which he can be heard calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a 'liar', went viral on the social media.

The Meerut police took suo motu cognisance of the same and lodged an FIR.

Pradhan said that he had not said or done anything wrong and the BJP government was "misusing its powers by booking all those who are raising their voice against the ruling party."

Narendra Sharma, station house officer (SHO) of the Daraula police station, said that Pradhan has been booked under Section 505 (2) of the IPC, which entails a maximum of five years of imprisonment. He said the section is slapped on those who hurt 'sentiments of people'.

The SHO said, "I have found a 32-second video in which Atul Pradhan can be seen making indecent remarks about the Prime Minister. His statements have created a furore among people."

Pradhan, meanwhile, said that he had spoken against the Prime Minister via Facebook live and that he did not regret what he had said.

"Doesn't the Prime Minister keep making remarks about others during his rallies? An FIR against me is a misuse of powers by the ruling party, which is fearing defeat in the upcoming polls," he said.