FIR Against SP MLA Rakesh Kumar Verma Over 'Objectionable' Social Media Post on BJP MP Kangana Ranaut

Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh: Police have registered an FIR against Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Rakesh Kumar Verma from the Raniganj assembly constituency for allegedly making derogatory and objectionable remarks against BJP MP Kangana Ranaut on social media, according to a report by news agency PTI.

According to reports, the case was filed on the complaint of Anshuman Singh, District President of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), at the Cyber Crime Police station in Pratapgarh. According to the complaint, the SP leader reportedly posted the controversial content in June, using language deemed offensive and insulting to the dignity of a woman public representative.

In the now-deleted post, Verma reportedly wrote: "Kangana madam bachke rehna, rakhan pura hosh. Kahi aapki jagah na hathiya le ye Sayoni Ghosh" (Kangana Madam, beware and stay fully alert, lest some Sayoni Ghosh usurps your place). The remark has been widely criticised as derogatory and threatening in tone.

The FIR has been registered under Section 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 67 of the Information Technology (IT) Act, as per the reports.

Police have initiated investigation and the process of collecting electronic evidence, reports said.