Noida: On his first day of election campaigning on Thursday, SP Lok Sabha poll candidate from Gautam Buddh Nagar Rahul Awana and at least 28 of his supporters were booked for alleged violation of the model code of conduct, police said.
The FIR was lodged on the complaint of a police constable after the Samajwadi Party leader and workers gathered on a road near the DND flyway, allegedly obstructing traffic between Noida and Delhi.
This is the first MCC-related FIR lodged in the Gautam Buddh Nagar constituency ahead of the April 26 Lok Sabha polls, a district election official confirmed.
According to an official, Awana — whose candidature was announced on Wednesday evening — and his supporters had gathered on a road near the DND flyway on Thursday afternoon after which the action was taken.
Some of the supporters had parked their cars on the road, obstructing traffic movement on the busy stretch between Noida and Delhi, the official added. “The FIR has been lodged under Indian Penal Code sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant), 283 (danger or obstruction in public), 143 (member of unlawful assembly), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 171C (undue influence at elections),” a senior police officer said.
“Charges under Section 123(1) of The Representation of the People Act have also been invoked in the case,” the officer added.
The FIR, which has been lodged at the Phase 1 police station, has eight named accused, including Awana, 27 unidentified people and “other people”.
There has been no arrest in the case and further probe is on, the police said. With agency inputs