Chandigarh, December 29: Haryana Police, in a late Friday night swoop, arrested two Aam Aadmi Party activists, one each at Hisar and Sirsa, and an Indian National Students Organisation worker at Gurugram “for posting fake news” about Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on social media. It allegedly portrayed him as a casteist leader.
Cases under Sections 153 (wantonly provocating with intent to cause riot), 153A (promoting enmity on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of the IPC and Section 66 of the IT Act have been registered.
In Hisar, the AAP activists staged a dharna in front of the police station in Hansi town to protest the arrest of Harpal Kranti of the IT cell of the party’s Hisar unit. Another AAP leader, Hisar Lok Sabha incharge Anoop Chanot, was also picked up but was released after interrogation.
Hansi SP Virender Vij said the police registered the case on the complaint of BJP leader Rajesh Thakral.
In Sirsa, DSP Ravinder Tomar said Tarsem, a resident of Vaidwala, had been arrested for a caste-related post on the social media aimed at spreading violence.
In Gurugram, the police nabbed Sanjeev Jakhar, an office-bearer of INSO, for allegedly spreading “fake news attributed to the CM”.
AAP state convener Naveen Jaihind deplored the arrests and alleged that over 20 activists were rounded up and barring the two, others were let off after interrogation.
Digvijay Chautala, state convener of INSO, said Jakhar shared the post presuming it to be genuine and hence was not at fault.
