Bhupinder Singh Hooda's aide booked over audio clip

Chandigarh, Feb 24: Haryana Police on Wednesday, Feb 24 booked former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's close aide Virender over an audio clip of his conversation in which he allegedly incited violence during the Jat quota agitation.

After the clip went viral two days back, BJP government had said it will thoroughly probe the matter. An FIR has been registered in Rohtak against Prof Virender under various sections of IPC including for criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity between different groups and mischief, sources said.

When contacted, a senior police official confirmed the development, but said he cannot share the details immediately, saying these will be given later in the evening.

The sources said that the FIR against Virender has been registered on a complaint of a Bhiwani resident Pankaj Kumar.

Virender, advisor to former CM Hooda of Congress, had earlier accepted that the voice in the clip was his but alleged the conversation has been "doctored".

He had maintained that nowhere had he talked about instigating Jats or anyone. "Moreover, the conversation is an old one, much before the current unrest started," he had said earlier.

Congress had served a showcause notice to Virender, a PCC delegate, after the audio clip came to light. Leader of Opposition in Haryana Assembly and senior INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala had said the clip makes it clear how "attempt" was being made to "instigate" the protesters "sitting peacefully".

PTI