Lucknow, July 18: UP Congress Chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi was granted interim bail by a court in Moradabad on Saturday. Joshi was arrested after speaking against BSP supremo and state chief minister Mayawati.
The bail plea had been turned down by the Chief Judicial Magistrate on Thursday, who remanded Joshi to judicial custody for 14 days.
Bahuguna faces a string of charges, including making inflammatory speeches and using abusive language. She also faces charges under the prevention of atrocities Act.
BSP under scanner
Meanwhile, the names of BSP MLA Jitendra Singh and local party leader Imtizar Abdi have been added in the FIR filed in connection with the arson at the house of Rita Bahuguna Joshi in Lucknow.
The names of the two were added on Friday night on the basis of a complaint by Joshi and Congress General Secretary Subodh Srivastava, police sources said on Saturday.
Singh is MLA from Bikapur assembly seat in Faizabad and Bobby is former president of Shia Degree College Lucknow. Earlier, the FIR had been filed against unidentified persons.
Cong talks tough
A day after AICC general secretary and Congress MP from Amethi, Rahul Gandhi trained guns at Mayawati, the Congress has decided to intensify its protest against ransacking of Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s residence.
“The party has decided to intensify its ongoing stir and launch jail bharo during which the Congress workers will court arrest across the state,” UPCC general secretary Subodh Srivastava told PTI.
He said that the party agitation would continue till BSP leaders and workers including MLA Jitendra Singh alias Babloo and Intizaar Ahmad Abdi are arrested.
“These leaders were responsible for attack and arsoning at UPCC chief’s house and that they should be arrested is our main demand,” Srivastava said.
Party sources said that the MLAs and MPs have been asked to mobilise the party workers and take charge of the agitation in their constituencies and assembly segments.
Alleging that Joshi was being implicated by the state government, the party had also demanded withdrawal of cases lodged against her.
–PTI