Journalist arrested for 'objectionable' FB post on UP CM in Madhya Pradesh

Ballia: Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested a journalist from Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain district for allegedly uploading an 'objectionable' and 'provocative' image of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Facebook, officials said on Tuesday, February 10.

A case was registered on Monday at the city police station on a complaint filed by BJP Hanumanganj Mandal general secretary Amrish Kumar Pandey, said the police.

As per the FIR, the accused posted an objectionable image of UP CM on Facebook on Sunday, accompanied by a controversial caption.

The complaint alleged that the post was intended to disturb social harmony, spread disorder and incite a particular community against the government.

City police station SHO Kshitij Tripathi said the accused, Tiwari (35), was arrested on Monday and sent to jail.

The FIR names one Pawan Tiwari charged under Section 196(1)(b) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place, etc.) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

He disclosed that Tiwari is a resident of the Sukhpura police station area in Ballia district but currently lives in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, where he works as a journalist.

Tripathi said the accused had come to his native village to attend a family wedding when the allegedly inflammatory post was uploaded and subsequently went viral.

Police said the complainant alleged that the content was intended to disturb social harmony, incite a particular community, and create disorder.

The image shared by Tiwari allegedly that was taken from a Facebook post featured an image of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath pulling the tuft of a Brahmin, accompanied by the caption:

“In a saint’s country, a Ravana tore apart the nation’s dignity. Those who call themselves yogis and have Brahmin youths beaten with shoes by pulling their tufts, Sanatanis will never forget this.”

Further legal proceedings are underway in the case, police added.

(With inputs from PTI)