Lucknow: UP Police on Tuesday invoked the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against ex-minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) leader, Mukesh Siddharth, 62, for his controversial remark against minister of state for energy, Somendra Tomar.
Siddharth, who was sent to district jail in Meerut on January 8, had allegedly threatened to “set the BJP leader ablaze”.
SSP Meerut, Rohit Singh Sajwan, said, “Siddharth issued certain threats at a public gathering. The NSA was invoked with the district magistrate’s approval, considering that his remark could have been a law and order issue in the district.”
The alleged remark was made during a recent protest by the Dalit community outside Meerut DM’s office seeking prompt action against Tomar and MLC Dharmendra Bhardwaj, along with others. They were protesting against the December 30 incident when members of BJP and some opposition parties came to blows during a board meeting of the Meerut Municipal Corporation. Chaos later erupted outside Town Hall, and a purported video showed Tomar and Bhardwaj “assaulting a councillor”.
While addressing the gathering, Siddharth, who had served as a vice-chairman of UP SC/ST commission during SP rule, said, “Though Tomar and Bhardwaj were seen beating councillors outside the Town Hall, the administration failed to take any action against them… If they are not arrested, we shall decide to set him ablaze.”
An FIR was earlier registered against Siddharth at Civil Lines police station under IPC sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 153-A (promoting enmity), 505 (public mischief), and 506 (criminal intimidation) and section 7 of the Criminal Amendment Act.
