AAP Leader Gopal Italia Arrested Over Derogatory Remarks Against Gujarat Home Minister
The senior AAP leader had made controversial comments on state Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi at a rally before the Gujarat election in November last year.
Senior AAP leader and national joint secretary Gopal Italia was arrested on Monday for his controversial remarks on Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi and BJP workers last year. Italia was later granted bail.
Speaking to reporters, Italia said BJP was scared after AAP's performance in the last Assembly election. Italia said the police action was aimed at harassing him.
"Since offences in the FIR were bailable, Crime Branch let me go. AAP showed its strength in the last election in Gujarat, which is considered BJP's stronghold. That is why they are scared," ANI quoted Italia as saying.
"Such statements are made by all political leaders against one another. How come an FIR was lodged only against me? They (police and government) are misusing their power," he further said.
Reacting to Italia's arrest, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said BJP's only aim was now to finish the AAP.
"BJP is so shocked by the spectacular performance of the Aam Aadmi Party in Gujarat that it has now arrested our Gujarat leader Gopal Italia. Now, BJP has only one aim, how to finish Aam Aadmi Party. These people will put everyone in jail one by one," Kejriwal said.
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Two senior AAP leaders -- Manish Sisodia and Satyender Jain -- are already in jail after being arrested over corruption cases.
Italia had allegedly made controversial comments against state BJP chief CR Paatil and Gujarat Minister Harsh Sanghavi and also called BJP workers "goons" in a video message that went viral on social media platforms.
Italia had made the remarks after an alleged attack on his colleague Manoj Sorathiya in Surat in August last year.
A case was lodged against Italia in Umra police station in Surat on September 2, 2022.
The case was registered against Italia under Indian Penal Code sections 500 (defamation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 505 (1)(b) (offending act inducing person to commit an offence against state or public tranquillity), and 469 (forgery for purpose of harming reputation) of the Indian Penal Code, PTI reported.
In the video message, Italia had used some allegedly derogatory words to describe Paatil and Sangahvi and had said the attack on Sorathiya was carried out by BJP goons.
The case was being investigated by Surat Crime Branch.
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