Sedition case: Lucknow police asks AAP leader Sanjay Singh to appear after Parliament session

The Lucknow police has told AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh to appear before it in a sedition case after the conclusion of the ongoing Parliament session.

Earlier, the AAP leader was told to appear before the Hazratganj police on Sunday at 11 am.

Investigation Officer A K Singh on Saturday issued another letter to him, stating that since Parliament is in session, he should present himself two days after its conclusion.

The Uttar Pradesh Police had lodged an FIR against the AAP leader under various sections of the IPC on September 2 for undertaking a "caste" survey.

A sedition charge under Section 124 (A) of the IPC was also included in the notice sent to Singh by the Lucknow police on Thursday, sources said.

On Saturday morning, AAP’s state unit spokesman Vaibhav Maheshwari had said Sanjay Singh would appear before the Hazratganj police.

“This correction of a mistake by the Lucknow police has safeguarded the dignity of the House. This kind of summon cannot be served to any member of Parliament or legislature when the House is in session,” Sanjay Singh told PTI over the phone on Saturday.

“It seems the UP government was not aware of this. So, the notice was served on me on September 17,” Sanjay Singh said.

The AAP leader said he had “raised a voice against casteism” through his survey. He claimed that Brahmins are being “targeted” and “atrocities” are being committed against Dalits under the UP government led by Yogi Adityanath.

The sedition case against me was lodged out of frustration as I had raised these issues, the AAP leader claimed, saying he had merely brought out "facts" through his survey.

The BJP had done a similar survey during the 2017 Assembly elections against the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi government, he said.

If the one done by me amounts to sedition then the one done by the BJP also comes under the category, he stressed.

The AAP leader said he has requested Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu to conduct a probe into the cases registered against him in different districts of the state and claimed that he was getting the support of many opposition parties.

The notice sent to Singh on his New Delhi address mentioned charges under IPC Sections 124-A (sedition), 153-A (promoting enmity between classes), and 153-B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration).

"The charges against you are serious and non-bailable. You are requested to reach on September 20 at 11 am for presenting facts and evidence. If you fail to remain present, action will be taken against you," the notice sent by the investigation officer read.

Besides Singh, the company that conducted the survey has also been slapped with sedition and other charges, the investigation officer had said.

(Photo: PTI)