Samajwadi Party news: A Samajwadi Party office bearer was arrested in Lucknow on Sunday (January 8) for allegedly making indecent and derogatory remarks on social media, said police.
Angry over Manish Jagan Agarwal’s arrest, scores of Samajwadi Party (SP) workers gathered outside the Uttar Pradesh Police headquarters in Lucknow, demanding his immediate release.
An FIR has been filed against three SP workers- Manish Agrawal, Ashish Yadav and Udayveer Singh.
SP leader and former Leader of Opposition (LoP) in UP Legislative Council Sunil Lathar told media that Agarwal is associated with the party's social media cell. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav too has reached the place.
Assistant CP, Hazratganj, Arvind Kumar Verma told media, "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."
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 ('jimmedaar') 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."
The party termed the arrest of Agarwal as "condemnable" and "shameful", demanding he be released immediately.
Akhilesh refuses tea offered by UP Police cops:
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday refused to drink tea offered to him by the police officers at the DGP headquarters. He asked his party worker to get tea from outside for him.
"You never know, they may mix poison in my tea. I will drink my own tea and you people (cops) can drink your tea," he said.
Akhilesh Yadav had reached the DGP headquarters unannounced to protest the arrest of media handler of the party's Twitter account, Manish Jagan Agarwal, from Hazratganj. He was accompanied by party workers who staged a protest against the arrest at the DGP headquarters.
Agarwal was arrested on Sunday morning after three cases were registered against him at Hazratganj police station allegedly for making objectionable remarks on Twitter through the party's social media handle.
"Arrest of Samajwadi Party worker, Manish Jagan Agarwal, by Lucknow Police is condemnable and shameful! Police should release him immediately," said the SP on Twitter.
(With agencies inputs)
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