Agra: Former Delhi minister and Congress member Rajendra Pal Gautam was booked by Uttar Pradesh police on Thursday for allegedly promoting enmity. The case stems from his remarks at a press conference in Delhi, where he claimed that a woman from the Kushwaha community in Hathras faced prolonged harassment and was murdered despite filing police complaints.
Video Clip Triggers Controversy
A video clip of the press meet, where Gautam—also the chairman of the All India Congress Committee's SC department—made these allegations, was reportedly posted on social media on Wednesday. The police acted after the video was shared from a political party's official X handle.
Police Deny Incident
Confirming the development, ASP (Hathras) Ramanand Kushwaha said, “A case was lodged after a video spreading misinformation was shared from a political party's official X handle.” Police termed the report baseless and misleading, stating that a formal verification found no such incident in the district. SP Chiranjeev Nath Singha told TOI: “It is an attempt to defame the police administration and Hathras district.”
Legal Provisions Invoked
The FIR was registered in Hathras by senior sub-inspector Umesh Chandra Sharma under BNS sections 196(1) (promoting enmity) and 353(1) (circulating false information, rumors, or reports). The complainant stated that an investigation by all station in-charges of the district revealed no such incident had occurred. It was further claimed that the video broadcast by Gautam aimed to disturb social harmony, spread animosity between communities, and tarnish the image of the government and administration.
Congress Reacts
Congress spokesperson Harnam Singh said, “The role of the government and police should be to investigate complaints, ensure a fair probe, and file charge sheets promptly so that the accused can be brought to justice. Filing FIRs against those who raise concerns or allegations is not the right approach.”
Notably, Gautam, who was a minister in the Kejriwal-led Delhi government, quit AAP and joined Congress in 2024.
(Inputs from Sumit Sharma in Hathras)
