A First Information Report was lodged against Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad and around 400 to 500 others under various section of the Indian Penal Code, as well as the Epidemic Diseases Act for violating Section 144 of the CrPC in Hathras, news agency ANI reported.

This comes a day after Azad visited the family of the Hathras gang-rape victim on Sunday at their village and assured them of all possible help.

The Bhim Army chief then demanded a time-bound inquiry by a retired Supreme Court judge into the alleged sexual assault of the 19-year-old Dalit woman, which resulted in her death. He said that a Central Bureau of Investigation probe, as proposed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, would be time consuming and would delay the process of justice.

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“Whenever the voice of the opposition has to be suppressed, then the key of CBI is turned on. Under this government, the CBI is meant only for suppressing the voice of the opposition and create fear,” Azad was quoted by PTI, as saying.

He said that the victim’s family should be provided Y category security as they were feeling insecure.

He had previously accused the UP Police of putting him on house arrest, the day the victim’s body was burned allegedly without the family’s consent. 

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He shared a picture of the notice issued to him by the Saharanpur police, which stated: “You are being informed that CrPC section 144 is imposed in the district. There are credible inputs that your tours and acts are gathering crowds, which may lead to law and order situation. Any untoward incident may happen. Hence, you are being informed that you will stay in your house only.”

The order, issued by the local Fatehpur police station in-charge Manoj Chaudhary, also warned Azad of legal action for violating the instruction.