FIR against BJP's Dadri MLA for flouting Covid norms at poll campaign

An FIR has been lodged against BJP's Dadri MLA Tejpal Singh Nagar for allegedly flouting COVID-19 norms during a poll campaign in his constituency for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, police said on Monday. Nagar, who has been re-nominated by his party from the Dadri assembly seat, was in a group housing society in Greater Noida (West) for campaigning and according to police, it was there that norms were violated.

The legislator along with five other "unknown" persons has been booked under provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act. Nagar could not be contacted immediately for his response.

"The FIR has been lodged at the Bisrakh police station following a complaint by the local police chowki in-charge at Gaur City," a police official told PTI.


"The case has been lodged under the Epidemic Diseases Act and Indian Penal Code sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (unlawfully or negligently spreading infection of any disease dangerous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life)," the official said.

Purported pictures and videos on social media showed Nagar campaigning with scores of people around him as he went around societies seeking votes, defying Election Commission's guidelines related to COVID-19 for poll campaigning.

The action comes close on heels of the police in Gautam Buddh Nagar district lodging an FIR against Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who was in Noida on Sunday to campaign for Congress' candidate Pakhuri Pathak.

The election to the Dadri assembly constituency, which has 5.86 lakh voters, is scheduled on February 10. The result will be out on March 10.