Station House Officer (SHO) of Thakurdwara police station Manoj Kumar said, “We are conducting raids to find the accused.” Station House Officer (SHO) of Thakurdwara police station Manoj Kumar said, “We are conducting raids to find the accused.” MORADABAD POLICE on Saturday booked a 26-year-old man on charge of sedition after he allegedly threatened local BJP MP Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar and District Magistrate (DM) Rakesh Kumar Singh, and used “objectionable language” against the administration. The matter came to light Thursday when an alleged video of the accused, identified as Rohtash Kumar, making the threats went viral on social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. In the video, Rohtash, who had recently filed several complaints against a fair price shop owner, also alleged that no action was being taken against the latter because she was protected by the MP and DM. The accused, a native of the district’s Khwajpur village, claimed to have links with Naxals and terrorist groups in the video clip, police said. The FIR against Rohtas was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by MP Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar’s private secretary Chandra Pal Singh at Thakurdwara police station under IPC sections 386 (extortion by putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt), 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication) and 124-A (sedition). Police also invoked the Information Technology Act against him. Station House Officer (SHO) of Thakurdwara police station Manoj Kumar said, “We are conducting raids to find the accused.” The complainant, Chandra Pal Singh, told The Indian Express, “In the video, Rohtash used objectionable language against the government and administration and claimed to have links with Naxal and terrorist groups. He also threatened to use an AK-47 to eliminate the MP and DM if the work was not done as per his wishes.” Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Thakurdwara (Moradabad), Vineeta Singh said, “Rohtash has filed several complaints against a local fair price shop dealer, Guddi Devi, on various charges including forgery and not providing grains to villagers. A three-member committee was formed to look into the allegations. Since some allegations were found to be true, a fine was imposed on her.” The accused belongs to a family of farmers. She added, “Other charges mentioned in fresh complaints against Guddi Devi are still being probed. In a fresh complaint, Rohtash has raised questions over Guddi Devi’s qualifications.” The Thakurdwara SHO said, “In the video, Rohtash has alleged that action against Guddi Devi is not being taken because the MP and DM were helping her…Sedition charge was invoked because he used objectionable language against the administration.” In a video uploaded on his Facebook page Sunday morning, the accused claimed his innocence, alleging that he was being framed for exposing corruption in distribution of ration to poor people. He also denied any links to Naxal or terror groups. When contacted, MP Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar said, “False allegations are being made against me that I am helping a fair price shop owner. I have been MLA from Thakurdwara from 1991 to 2014, so I know several local people. I have never met Rohtas, but I know his father. The man is claiming to be having links with Naxals and terrorist groups. Police should investigate.” DM Rakesh Kumar Singh could not be reached for comment. For all the latest Lucknow News, download Indian Express App

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