FIR filed against Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and over 200 party leaders for violating prohibitory orders on way to Hathras

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday filed an FIR against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and 201 party leader for violation of prohibitory orders while walking towards Hathras to meet the Dalit rape victim's family.

The FIR has been lodged in Ecotech One Police Station of Greater Noida and there are several serious sections against these people in the FIR. The case has been filed by Gautam Budh Nagar Police.

According to information received from Gautam Budh Nagar Police Commissionerate on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Ajay Singh violated prohibitory orders, epidemic act and endangered the lives of common people due to infectious disease while visiting Hathras.

The FIRs have been registered against 153 Congressmen, including Lallu, Dependra Singh Hooda, PL Punia, Sachin Pilot, Gautam Budh Nagar Congress President Ajay Chaudhary, Noida Mahanagar Congress President Shahabuddin, Uttar Pradesh Congress General Secretary Virendra Singh Guddu and Jitin Prasad. 50 unknown people have also been included in the FIR.

A case was registered under section 188 (prohibition i.e. violation of section 144 of the CrPC), 270 (endangering the life of the common man during infectious disease) of the IPC and section 4 of the Infectious Disease Prevention Act-1869 (Authorized Disobeyed orders issued on behalf of the officer).

The FIR has been lodged in the Ecotech One police station on Yamuna Expressway and the police said that investigation has been started in the case. Legal action will be taken soon.

This is not the first time when a case has been filed against senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Greater Noida. Earlier, a case was filed against Rahul Gandhi in Greater Noida and he was also arrested. This is the second time Rahul Gandhi has been arrested here.

Significantly, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi and General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi were going to meet the victim's family in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh.

Rahul Gandhi also fell down in the scuffle after police tried to stop him and his supporters from proceeding on the Yamuna Expressway near the Jewar toll plaza. Pictures of the incident were shared by the party. The Gandhis were seeking to walk down from Greater Noida to Hathras after their vehicles were stopped by the police near Pari Chowk. After walking for some time, they were stopped by the police.
The Congress had earlier claimed that the Gandhis were arrested by the police.

"Shri Rahul Gandhi, Smt Priyanka Gandhi and senior Congress leaders have been arrested by the UP police," the Congress said on Twitter, using the hashtag "JusticeForIndiasDaughters". Police said they were charged for alleged violation of prohibitory orders issued under CrPC section 144.

News agency PTI reported quoting party sources that they were taken away in a police jeep and kept in a guest house for sometime after which they were released. They then headed back towards Delhi escorted by the UP police, they said. Priyanka Gandhi also alleged that the police used lathis on the Congress workers and many of them were injured.

Rahul Gandhi earlier questioned senior UP cops under which law was he being stopped as all he wanted was to walk alone towards Hathras to meet the rape victim's family. "Can you tell me under which law can you stop me from marching towards Hathras," he asked the police personnel. "I want to go alone to Hathras and on what basis can you arrest me," he added, to which the cops told him that he had violated Section 188 of the IPC of disobeying orders promulgated by the government during the pandemic.