Trinamool Congress Delegation To Meet Election Body Over Party Leader's Arrest

A five-member Trinamool Congress (TMC) parliamentary delegation will visit the Election Commission of India on Monday to raise the alleged violation of the Representation of People's Act in connection with party spokesperson Saket Gokhale's arrest, the party said.

The delegation will comprise Lok Sabha MPs Saugata Roy and Kalyan Banerjee, and Rajya Sabha MPs Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Mausam Noor, and Derek O'Brien, it said.

Earlier, the TMC had sent a memorandum to the Election Commission, urging it to order an immediate probe into the action initiated by the Gujarat Police against Mr Gokhale and to put an end to all the alleged physical and mental harassment being inflicted upon him.

The TMC has alleged that Mr Gokhale was charged under section 125 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 which relates to promoting enmity between classes in connection with an election.

Mr Gokhale was arrested over a tweet on the prime minister's visit to Morbi after a bridge collapse there, following which the Press Information Bureau issued a 'fact check' calling the information fake.

Mr Gokhale was arrested by the Gujarat Police from Jaipur in Rajasthan on December 6 without any intimation to the Rajasthan Police, the TMC alleged. He was taken to Ahmedabad, where he was granted bail by a court on December 8, only to be rearrested hours later in another case.

Mr Gokhale was later given bail in the second case on December 9.

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