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Updated: Mar 29, 2020 15:35 IST

An Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA was booked by the Noida sector 20 police on Sunday for allegedly defaming Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath in an objectionable tweet after a complaint was filed by a Supreme Court advocate.

The Rajinder Nagar MLA, Raghav Chadha, had on Saturday evening put up a controversial tweet on the large scale migration of daily wagers and labourers moving back to their respective hometowns from Delhi. The tweet was later removed from the lawmaker’s social media handle.

However, a Supreme Court advocate, Prashant Patel, filed a complaint against the MLA.

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“I sent an email to the commissioner and DGP after which the FIR was filed. The situation in Delhi is already one of panic. Such statements by these people will create more panic. Putting blame on someone in this manner is wrong. UP police is not beating anyone. If anything they have been very courteous with the public during the whole ordeal,” said Patel.

Thousands of migrant workers have been trying to cross state borders to reach back to their native places due to loss of livelihood ever since the prime minister announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown on March 24 in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Anand Vihar terminal and UP gate have been jam packed for the past two days with migrant population.

In his complaint to Noida police, Patel said that Chadha’s malicious and deliberate act is not only dangerous to the maintenance of law and order but will also create panic among the people who are going to their native places at this difficult time. Therefore, action must be taken against him, said the complaint.

Following this, Chadha was booked at the sector 20 police station under sections 500 (defamation), 505 (2) (promoting enmity hatred or ill-will between classes) and section 66 (offensive messages through computer or phone) of the IT Act.

While senior officer of Noida police could not be reached for a comment, the station house officer of sector 20 police station confirmed that an FIR has been registered.

“We will take necessary legal action following a thorough investigation,” said RK Singh, SHO.

AAP MLA Raghav Chadha did not comment on the allegations.