Shahnawaj Alam was named among others for protesting and raising slogans against the government. (Express file photo by Vishal Srivastav)

Defending the Lucknow police action of arresting Shahnawaj Alam in connection with the December 19 protests against CAA and NRC, the BJP government on Tuesday said that the arrested Congress leader was booked in two cases linked to the protests against CAA-NRC in Lucknow.

As Congress leaders condemned Alam’s arrest, the government said that besides his role in the December 19 anti-CAA protests in Hazratganj area that had turned violent, the Congress leader was booked in two other cases related to anti-CAA protests – one at Chowk and the other at Thakurganj police station on December 13.

As per one of these FIRs lodged on December 13 last year at Chowk Police Station, “Shahnawaj Hussain, then of Rihai Manch” was named along with district president of AIMIM for allegedly taking out a “juloos (march)” and blocking the road leading to King George Medical University (KGMU) for? about 40 minutes.

They were booked provoking breach of public peace, wrongful restrain and rioting with punishment for up to two years of imprisonment.

In the FIR lodged on the same date at Thakurganj police station of Lucknow, Shahnawaj was named among others for protesting and raising slogans against the government. As per the FIR, the protesters were wearing “green-coloured caps” and banners including that of AIMIM saying “Musalmanon jaago, CAB vah NRC ab nahi to kab nahi”.

Besides charging them under several section of the IPC, police booked them under IPC Section 124-A (sedition with imprisonment up to three years).

Sources in the government said that Alam was associated with “Rihai Manch, which helps those arrested in terror cases”.