Ram Temple Row: Case Registered Against Journalist & Two Others For Accusing Ram Temple Trust Member

In the First Information Report, based on Sanjay Bansal's complaint has named journalist Vineet Narain, NRI Alka Lahoti and Rajneesh.

Image Source: PTI

Ayodhya: After Sanjay Bansal, Champat Rai's brother, registered a complaint against three persons for allegedly trying to 'tarnish' the image of the Ram Mandir trust general secretary, the Uttar Pradesh police has filed an FIR invoking 15 sections of the Indian Penal Code and three sections of the IT Act against a journalist and two others in Bijnor district over the alleged land grab case.

Champat Rai and his brothers have been given a 'clean chit' by the Bijnor police chief. 

In the First Information Report, based on Bansal's complaint has named journalist Vineet Narain, NRI Alka Lahoti and Rajneesh. Bansal alleged that former journalist Vineet Narain put up a 'malicious' post on Facebook, accusing him and his family members of grabbing property in Bijnor's Nagina area.

According to an IANS report, he also alleged that Indonesia-returned, Alka Lahoti, and another person, Rajneesh, 'conspired' with Narain to defame his family and 'hurt religious sentiments of people of the country. 

According to various media reports, in his Facebook post, Narain attached an application that had details of a cowshed belonging to Alka Lahoti, who has also been booked by police and further claimed that Lahoti has been trying to get the encroachers evicted since 2018 and appeals to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to take action.

Bijnor superintendent of police (SP) Dharamveer Singh was quoted by IANS as saying, "A case has been registered against Vineet Narain, Alka Lahoti and Rajneesh. They had put up a derogatory post on Facebook making allegations of corruption against Champat Rai's family members. We have set up an inquiry into the matter. Prima facie, the allegation seems to be false. The accused tried to tarnish the image of Rai and hurt the religious sentiments of people. However, a probe is on and documents are being checked."

The case was filed under IPC sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion), 293 (circulating obscene objects), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings), 417 (punishment for cheating), 419 (punishment for cheating by personation), 448 (punishment for house-trespass), 465 (punishment for forgery), 457 (lurking house-trespass or house-breaking by night), 469 (whoever commits forgery, intending that the document or electronic record forged shall harm the reputation of any party).