Sangeet Som booked for violating poll code

Bhartiya Janta Party MLA, Sangeet Singh Som (Express Archive)

The MEERUT administration Wednesday booked BJP nominee from Sardhana, Sangeet Singh Som, for alleged screening of a video, which purportedly contained clippings of “communally provocative speeches” by the sitting MLA, at a village in his constituency.

Som has been booked for violating model code of conduct under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of IPC and Section 125 of The Representation of the People Act. Under Section 125, anyone, who in connection with an election, promotes or attempts to promote on grounds of religion, race, caste, community or language, feelings of enmity or hatred, between different classes shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or both.

District Magistrate B Chandrakala said: “I received a complaint from an anonymous caller on Tuesday, alleging that a vehicle canvassing for Som was showing a video related to Muzaffarnagar riots at Alamgir Faridpur village. I immediately sent a sub-divisional magistrate and the circle officer. They seized the vehicle and a pendrive containing the video”. Som told PTI: “There was nothing controversial in the CD and parts of the video had already been aired on TV channels.”