Moments after granted bail, TMC leader re-arrested for tweet on Morbi bridge collapse

Moments after Trinamool Congress's national spokesperson Saket Gokhale was granted bail by a metropolitan magisterial court in Ahmedabad in connection with a tweet based on suspected fake news on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Morbi visit following bridge collapse that killed 135 people, the Morbi district police is reported to have taken him into custody in a fresh FIR registered on Thursday.

The 'B' division of Morbi police have booked Gokhale allegedly for "Promoting enmity between classes in connection with election" under section 125 of People's Representation Act, 1950. The section describes, "Any person who in connection with an election under this Act promotes or attempts to promote on grounds of religion, race, caste, community or language, feelings of enmity or hatred, between different classes of the citizens of India shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both."

The FIR is based on a complaint filed by D A Zala, election officer, Morbi Assembly constituency. Zala has stated in the FIR through the social media cell of the district election office he came to know that a tweet based on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Morbi visit, on November 1, to meet survivors of bridge collapse was tweeted on December 1, when Morbi and some other parts of Gujarat voted in the first phase polling of Gujarat Assembly election.

The FIR has mentioned Gokhale's tweet on the Morbi bridge collapse.

The FIR states this tweet was allegedly aimed at "impacting the Assembly election by tweeting fake information and promoting enmity or hatred among different classes and therefore, should be investigated under section 125 of People's Representative Act, 1951." The FIR also names one Dax Patel who hasn't been arrested yet.

Earlier on December 6, Gokhale was picked up by cyber cell police of Ahmedabad from Jaipur airport and brought before the magisterial court. He was sent in police custody for questioning and was ordered to be released since the offences were bailable. Moments before he was to be released from cyber cell custody, a team of Morbi police took him under custody.

Despite repeated attempts, Morbi district superintendent of police, Rahul Tripathi, didn't respond for confirmation. However, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'brien, tweeted, "@SaketGokhale @AITCofficial being harassed by Gujarat Police even after getting bail. ARRESTED AGAIN 8.45pm Dec 8. While he was leaving Cyber PS in Ahmedabad, Police team without notice/warrant are arresting him and taking him to unknown destination. CONDEMNABLE."

He also added that TMC MPs were on their way to Gujarat for their leader. "No one yet arrested for #MorbiBridgeCollapse but spokesperson @SaketGokhale being implicated in multiple false cases. Anxious. Angry. Also, this young man has a serious cardiac condition. Dangerous," the tweet said.