FIR filed against Yogi Adityanath

The BJP MP had defied a ban on poll meeting

Hours after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Yogi Adityanath defied a ban on his election meeting here, police lodged a first information report (FIR) against the controversial member of parliament (MP) and other party leaders who participated in the rally.

Senior Superintendent of Police Praveen Kumar on Thursday said cases were lodged late Wednesday night against Adityanath and others who participated in the meeting held on Wednesday.

Defying the ban, Adityanath, the BJP's lead campaigner in Uttar Pradesh, had addressed an election meeting, in which he accused the Samajwadi Party government of following a communal agenda.

A district administration official said, "An FIR has been lodged against BJP candidate from Lucknow (east) seat Ashutosh Tandon Gopalji and others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Ghazipur Police Station".

He said the entire meeting was videographed by the administration. "Others [whose names are lodged in the FIR] include all those who are visible in the video," he said.

Other than Adityanath, BJP MPs Jagdambika Pal, Lallu Singh and former MP and father of Gopalji Lalji Tandon were present at the meeting.

The official said a compact disc (CD) of the meeting would be sent to the Election Commission on Thursday. "A CD is being send to the EC by a special messenger," he said.

Saying he was not allowed to hold meetings in Thakurdwara, Mainpuri and Nighasan where Assembly by-elections are being held.

Adityanath had addressed one of them using his mobile phone. Later in the state capital, he defied police which had withdrawn permission to him to address an election meeting at Indira Nagar locality by appearing on the stage.

IN THE DOCK

• Cases were lodged late Wednesday night against Adityanath and others who participated in the meeting held on Wednesday, says SSP
   
• An FIR has been lodged against BJP candidate from Lucknow (east) seat Ashutosh Tandon Gopalji
   
• The entire meeting was videographed by the administration
   
• BJP MPs Jagdambika Pal, Lallu Singh and former MP and father of Gopalji Lalji Tandon were present at the meeting