Akhilesh Yadav's "Poison" Charge In Refusing Tea By UP Cops Sparks Row

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav today refused to have tea offered by police personnel at Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow, saying he fears they would poison him. The SP national president had gone to the Lucknow police headquarters, where party workers were protesting the arrest of party colleague Manish Jagan Agarwal, who allegedly runs a Twitter account associated with the party, for allegedly making derogatory comments against BJP leaders, and journalists.

"I will not drink the tea here. I will bring my own, but can take your cup. I can't drink the tea offered here. What if you poison me? I don't have trust. I am serious, I don't have trust. I will get it from outside," he could be seen telling the police officials, while asking a party worker to get tea from outside.

Akhilesh Yadav reached the police headquarters at around 11 am on Sunday, and questioned the grounds on which his party's social media worker Manish Jagan Agarwal was arrested. 

Mr Yadav said that no senior police officer was present to talk to him. He stayed at the police headquarters for about two hours while many party workers gathered outside. 

Top police officials rushed to the spot and accepted a complaint filed by the party's state president Naresh Uttam Patel, who alleged that BJP IT Cell worker Richa Rajput had used objectionable language against Akhilesh Yadav's wife, Dimple Yadav. They registered a case against her based on the complaint.

The most recent case against the arrested Samajwadi Party worker was filed by Richa Rajput.

Ms Rajput had alleged that Samjawadi party workers threatened her with rape and sullied her character on social media, and that she feared for her life and safety.

Akhilesh Yadav then went to Lucknow jail to visit Manish Jagan Agarwal.