SP leader Totaram Yadav arrested in booth capturing case

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party leader and Chairman of Processing and Construction Cooperative Federation Ltd (PACCFED) Totaram Yadav was today arrested in connection with a booth capturing case during the recent Panchayat elections in Uttar Pradesh.

He was arrested by SHO (Kotwali) Manohar Singh outside a school when he came out after attending a sports week function there, which was also attended by PWD Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav and other SP leaders.

Totaram had approached the Allahabad High Court for quashing the case registered against him but the court had dismissed his petition. He was, however, evading surrender in court.

Later, Shivpal Singh avoided questions on Totaram's arrest and instead highlighted the importance of sports.

In reply to a question as to why he and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav did not participate in Saifai Mahotsav, he said they were busy with other work.

Totaram along with his 20 aides, including the presiding officer, were booked by Mainpuri police for booth capturing in Bewar block in October.

The decision to lodge the case was taken after a two-minute video went viral on WhatsApp in which he was purportedly seen capturing a booth.

Totaram, had, however claimed that the case was a conspiracy against him.