Gujarat Police Again Arrests TMC Leader Saket Gokhale, This Time For 'Misuse' Of Funds

Saket Gokhale was arrested for the third time this month by Gujarat Police. According to the report, he was arrested in connection with an alleged misuse of crowd-funding money.

Trinamool Congress spokesperson Saket Gokhale (File Photo) ( Image Source :PTI )

Trinamool Congress spokesperson Saket Gokhale was arrested by Gujarat police from Delhi late Thursday evening in connection with an alleged misuse of money raised through crowd-funding, news agency PTI reported citing official sources. 

TMC leader Saket Gokhale arrested by Gujarat police in crowd-funding `misuse' case, says official

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 30, 2022

According to the report, a senior police source said that Gokhale was arrested by the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch and would be transported to Ahemdabad for additional legal proceedings by Friday.

Gujarat Police has arrested Gokhale for the third time this month.

On December 6, he was arrested by the Cyber Crime Branch for allegedly circulating fake details about the cost of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Morbi town following a bridge collapse tragedy.

On December 1, Gokhale shared a news clipping on information received allegedly through the Right to Information, saying that Modi's visit to Morbi following the bridge collapse cost Rs 30 crore.

The TMC leader was arrested again on December 8 by Morbi police for the same charge recorded there, just after receiving bail from a court here. The next day, he was given bail.

Following Gokhale's second arrest, a five-member TMC parliamentary delegation met with the chief election commissioner and protested the arrest of the party spokesperson, as per the media reports. 

"The delegation met with the CEC in response to our national spokesperson's harassment and torture. We informed him that he had been arrested once in Ahmedabad and that a case had been filed against him in Morbi while the model code of conduct was in effect. We further stated that he was wrongfully charged under Section 125 (of the Representation of the People Act), which is not applicable to what he posted. As a result, this is an instance of harassment "TMC MP Saugata Ray stated following the meeting, according to a report by India Today. 

(With Inputs From Agencies)