UP police files case against Cong leader Pankaj Punia over tweet

The Uttar Pradesh Police Wednesday filed a case against Haryana Congress leader Pankaj Punia for allegedly "hurting religious feelings" and making "situation explosive" through a social media post, officials said.

An FIR has been registered against Punia, also a member of the All India Congress Committee, at the Hazratganj Police Station here for his alleged objectionable tweet.

A senior police official told PTI Punia has been booked under IPC sections related to promoting enmity between different groups (153 A), outraging religious feelings (295 A), public mischief (505-2), and some sections of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2008.

The FIR was registered by cyber cell Sub-Inspector Suresh Giri.

"During social media monitoring, we noticed the tweet of the leader which mentioned a particular community and their God. There is a possibility of this leading to political and religious clashes. It has made the situation explosive," Giri has said in his complaint.

Punia in his tweet on Tuesday targeted the UP's Yogi Adityanath government referring to the politics over plying of buses by the Congress for ferrying migrants.

He had also mentioned the name of the God and referred to the Sangh Parivar.