india

Updated: Jun 15, 2019 09:45 IST

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday ordered the withdrawal of sedition charges that police had slapped on a man after he uploaded a video alleging that frequent power cuts in the state were to help an inverter manufacturing company.

An FIR was lodged against Mangilal, resident of Dongargaon, by the state-run power distribution company in a Rajnandgaon police station.

The police booked Mangilal under section 124 A of the Indian Penal Code (sedition) and under 505 (1) (b) (disturbing public tranquility) on Friday, said Komalochan Kashyap, superintendent of police, Rajnandgaon. He said that Mangilal was produced in a local court and remanded to judicial custody.

But chief minister Baghel intervened and said that those spreading rumors on social media should not be booked for sedition but under relevant IT laws and other sections of the IPC.

“We have taken back the sedition charges against the person. I believe that there should be freedom of speech and no one should be booked under sedition. Secondly, I also don’t believe in spreading rumors on social media and but the accused should be booked under other sections of IPC and IT Act not sedition,” said Baghel.

Chhattisgarh’s director general of police, DM Awasthi said: “After investigation it was found that the case is not fit for sedition, hence, it has been dropped.”

On Thursday, a Chhattisgarh State Power Holding Company issued a statement saying a complaint was lodged against Mangilal for spreading rumors regarding the working of the company.

“Due to natural forces such as storms or other local reasons, the power supply is affected but some people through social media are spreading that the power cut is because of the power company has made any tacit agreement with some inverter companies, which is totally fake,” said Shailendra Shukla, chairman of the five power distribution companies in Chhattisgarh.

The FIR said that in the video the person is claiming that an inverter company was “hand in glove” with Congress-run Chhattisgarh government to ensure power cuts for 10-15 minutes every two to three hours to boost sales of inverters in the state.

Earlier on Thursday, a 34-year-old man was arrested for allegedly posting a derogatory comment against the chief minister on Facebook in Raipur. The accused identified as Lalit Yadav, a resident of Saragaon village under Kharora police station, was booked under 67 A of Information Technology Act, which deals with transmitting any the material of sexual nature.