Bihar Congress party president Madan Mohan Jha and several other party leaders were booked for violating COVID-19 guidelines on Sunday.
Earlier on Saturday, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav and Jan Adhikar Party (Loktantrik) (JAP-L) leader Rajesh Ranjan, alias Pappu Yadav, along with 150 others, were booked on similar charges.
Officials said that an FIR has been lodged against Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) chief Madan Mohan Jha and other party leaders, including Akhilesh Singh and Ajay Kapoor, for violating COVID-19 rules as a large number of party workers and people had gathered outside the Patna airport on Saturday to welcome senior party leaders.
The FIR has been registered at the Patna airport police station by special executive magistrate Mohd. Shafiullah Khan under sections 188 of the Indian Penal Code (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligence act likely to spread infection of a disease dangerous to life) and provisions of Epidemic Diseases Act and Disaster Management Act, 2005.
Earlier on Saturday, Opposition RJD leaders Tejashwi Yadav, his elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav and JAP(L) chief Rajesh Ranajn, alias Pappu Yadav, too were booked for taking out a protest march in Patna over the contentious farm bills and flouting COVID-19 norms. The three were booked on Friday along with 150 others and an FIR against them was lodged at the local Kotwali police station on the basis of a magistrate deputed to monitor the situation.
Several farmers’ organisations and Opposition parties like RJD and JAP(L) had participated in the nation-wide protests over the new farm Bills on Friday. Tejashwi Yadav rode a tractor to lead the protest and his elder brother Tej Pratap was seen sitting atop the vehicle.
“All these leaders and 150 others were booked for taking out protest march without having permission for it”, said Inspector Sunil Kumar. The FIR against them has been lodged under various sections of the IPC and provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act and Disaster Management Act, 2005.
The protesting JAP(L) leaders also had a clash with BJP supporters and local leaders while passing through the BJP headquarters. The BJP workers were caught on camera raining baton blows on a JAP(L) worker trapped in a van outside the party office on Beer Chand Patel Marg in Patna. The BJP workers even shouted slogans “Narendra Modi zindabad” and policemen on duty were seen as mute spectators.