UP CEO lodges named FIR against Rajnath, Tandon in CD case

Lucknow, Apr 6 (UNI) A day after city police lodged an unnamed FIR against the BJP leadership in the controversial CD case, Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer (CEO) Anuj Kumar Bishnoi today lodged a named FIR against party national president Rajnath Singh and Leader of the Opposition in state assembly Lalji Tandon.

Police said here that the FIR has been lodged against Mr Singh, Mr Tandon and ''all those involved in distributing and displaying the CD'' which pertains to Godhra riots, Babri Mosque demolition and cow slaughter.

The FIR has been lodged under sections 153 A and B, 505 A, B, and C of the IPC and section 123 and 125 of the Representation of People's Act. Most of the sections in today's FIR are the same except section 123 of the RP Act which relates to spreading communal hatred.

While yesterday's FIR was lodged by police following directives from the EC, today's case was lodged by the state CEO himself.

The FIR was lodged soon after the BJP submitted its reply to the Election Commission this afternoon on the CD case.

In New Delhi, BJP asserted that it had not ''produced, prepared, displayed or distributed the impugned CD'' and urged the EC to withdraw its notice as the controversial CD never formed a part of official campaign material of the party.

In its reply to the Election Commission's notice to the party regarding the controversial CD containing ''objectionable'' remarks against Muslims and visuals of Godhra arson and the Babri masjid demolition, BJP National Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said ''The CD was not seen or approved by the BJP leadership.'' He pointed out that the impugned CD was not prepared by the party but some individuals and was inserted by ''someone in the office'' in the kit containing campaign material of the party which was shown at a press conference in Lucknow on April 3. The BJP inquired into the matter and removed party spokesman Manoj Mishra from his post.

There is a provision of three years' imprisonment and fine under section 125 of the RP Act.

UNI