While the Councillor, Zakir Hussain, was not available for comment, the Congress distanced itself from the conversation and issued a showcause notice to him.
Ladakh Police on Friday booked a Congress councillor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil over a leaked phone conversation that appeared on social media.
In the leaked conversation, the councillor purportedly says that Chinese soldiers have “torn apart” the Indian Army and abused PM Narendra Modi.
While the Councillor, Zakir Hussain, was not available for comment, the Congress distanced itself from the conversation and issued a showcause notice to him.
“We have registered an FIR against him (Zakir Hussain),” SP Kargil Vinod Kumar told The Indian Express. “He has been booked under various sections including 124, 153, 505 of IPC.” Police sources said the councillor has also been booked under section 124-A (sedition).
“District Police Kargil lodges case against a sitting Councillor of LAHDC (Kargil) for viral audio clip containing incriminating contents, prejudicial to the regional/religious peace and tranquillity, spreading rumours and seditious in nature,” IGP Ladakh tweeted.
While the councillor’s phone was switched off, the Congress distanced itself from the conversation. “We hereby clarify that this is purely a private conversation between two individuals and the party has nothing to do with it. The Congress strongly condemns the contents of this conversation,” Congress district president Nasir Munshi said in a statement. “The people of Ladakh, especially Kargil, have always been in the forefront with the Indian armed forces defending the nation during 1948, 1965, 1971 and 1999 and our patriotism can’t be doubted whatsoever”.