GHAZIABAD: Nine people, including a Uttar Pradesh Police constable and an advocate, were booked on Saturday for allegedly dragging a man on a dog leash and beating him up last year.

The victim, a 31-year-old engineer with a telecom firm, alleged that he was thrashed because his second wife's family was unhappy with the marriage. He accused the family members of filing a false rape case against him, because of which he had to spend around six months in jail.

A video, purportedly shot in May last year, showing the man being beaten up and asked to bark like a dog went viral on social media last month.

The victim said he has filed a complaint with SSP Kalanidhi Naithani after being released on bail in February.

Based on an investigation by CO (Indirapuram) Anshu Jain, the SSP ordered the Masuri police station to register a case.

SHO (Masuri) Naresh Kumar Singh said an FIR for attempt to murder and criminal intimidation was registered against advocate Shahnawaz, Javed, Sameer, Insar, Adil, Nadeem, Zafar, Sarfuddin and constable Amzad Khan, all of whom are related to the woman. According to the engineer, he had married the woman - an LLB student - in February 2018. The accused had called the woman back to her house and did not allow her to leave.

On May 16 last year, the accused allegedly kidnapped the man from outside his home and put a dog leash around his neck. The victim said that they threw him outside after thrashing him badly.

The victim was hospitalised for four days and on May 22 when he went to the SSP office to lodge a complaint, he was arrested on charges of rape.

He alleged that his wife's statement was changed because of constable Amzad Khan, who was posted at Masuri police station.

In February, when the video of the assault went viral, the victim complained to the SSP again. Advocate Shahnawaz refuted the allegations and said the medical report does not say that it was a fatal attack.

It is just an attempt to create pressure, he added.