FIRs filed against Rahul Gandhi for holding event without 'permission' in Darbhanga

Patna, May 15 (IANS) Two FIRs have been registered against the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, for holding an event allegedly without the permission from administration in Bihar’s Darbhanga on Thursday.

LoP Rahul Gandhi, who was in Bihar for approximately nine hours, visited Darbhanga, where he participated in the NSUI's 'Shiksha Nyay Samvad' program held at the Ambedkar Kalyan Hostel, allegedly without the required permission from the district administration.

Despite the administration granting permission for the event at Town Hall, Rahul Gandhi went ahead with the program at the Ambedkar hostel, where he addressed Dalit students for about 15 minutes.

The move triggered an immediate response from the authorities.

Following the event, two separate FIRs were filed against Rahul Gandhi and several Congress leaders.

The first FIR was registered at Laheriyasarai police station by Duty Magistrate Khurshid Alam, who was present at the scene. This complaint cites a violation of prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which replaces the earlier Section 144 of the IPC.

The second FIR was lodged by District Welfare Officer Alok Kumar, accusing LoP Rahul Gandhi, and others of forcibly organising an event at the Ambedkar Welfare Hostel without permission from the authorities.

The police have named 20 Congress leaders, including LoP Rahul Gandhi, in the FIRs, along with 100 unidentified individuals.

Senior officials, including Darbhanga Sadar SDPO Amit Kumar and Sadar SDM Vikas Kumar, confirmed the registration of both cases.

Rahul Gandhi later left for Patna, where he attended a screening of the film Phule at City Centre Mall, before heading back to Delhi.

--IANS

ajk/dan