Computer Baba booked for MCC violation

Bhopal police Thursday registered an FIR against self-styled godman Namdev Das Tyagi alias Computer Baba for allegedly violating the model code of conduct (MCC), an official said on Thursday.

The FIR was registered at the directions of the district election officer.

Computer Baba had organised a "hath yoga" camp in Bhopal to campaign for Digvijaya Singh, Congress candidate from Bhopal, who had also participated in the event.

Singh is contesting against BJP candidate and Malegaon blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur.

"On the directives of the assistant district election officer, an FIR was filed against Computer Baba under IPC section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) for violation of model code of conduct by holding the camp," said Amresh Bohre, Koh-e-Fiza police station in-charge.

The BJP had moved the Election Commission (EC) saying despite the prohibitive orders in place under section 144 across the city, Tyagi had held the camp in support of the Congress candidate, without the necessary permission from the district administration.

"We had filed a complaint with the EC. As per his statements which appeared in media, Computer Baba had said that he was invited to campaign in support of the Congress candidate," state BJP spokesman Rahul Kothari said.

"This was being done for fanning communal sentiments. We had also demanded that the expense of this camp should be added to the election expenditure of Digvijay Singh," he added.

Following the BJP complaint, the district election officer had issued a notice to Tyagi. In his reply, he had claimed that it was not a political programme, but a religious one.

After an investigation by the district election officers, Tyagi was found guilty of violating the model code of conduct and directed the police to file an FIR on Thursday.

Computer Baba was bestowed minister of state (MoS) status by the then BJP-led government in Madhya Pradesh and appointed on a panel to clean the Narmada.

He, however, parted way with the BJP and resigned from the government.

Later, he also campaigned against the BJP in the November 2018 assembly elections.