Fifteen people have been arrested in the national capital on charges of circulating posters critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and the vaccination drive, an action that attracted criticism for the government on social media.
Posters appeared in several parts of the capital on Thursday, which read "Modiji humare bachon ki vaccine videsh kyu bhej diya? (Prime Minister, why did you send vaccines of our children to foreign countries?)," officials said on Saturday.
Incidents of surfacing of posters were reported from North-East Delhi, Outer Delhi, Central Delhi, Rohini, East Delhi, Dwarka, North Delhi and Shahdara districts.
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Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had earlier targeted the BJP-led government at the Centre for exporting vaccines when the country was facing vaccine shortage amid the second wave of Covid-19.
After receiving inputs about the surfacing of posters, a senior police official said police forces in the districts were alerted and cops were sent to the locations.
At least 17 FIRs were registered across the capital under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code among others as well as Section 3 of the Prevention of Defacement of Property Act.
More FIRs are likely to be registered once more complaints are received. The official said it is being ascertained as to who was behind these posters.
Of the 17 FIRs, three were registered in north-east Delhi, for which two persons were arrested. Three FIRs each were registered in West Delhi and Outer Delhi too.
Four persons were arrested from Central Delhi in two cases, while two persons were apprehended in Rohini in two cases.
Four persons were arrested from east Delhi's Kalyanpuri even as police are investigating whether AAP councillor Dhirender Kumar has any role in it. Investigators said 860 posters were seized from these four people.
Two persons were arrested from Dwaraka in one case, while one man was apprehended from North Delhi where an FIR has been registered. The man arrested in North Delhi claimed during interrogation that he had been given Rs 500 to paste these posters.
Police are also examining CCTV footage to arrest a person who pasted posters in Shahdara.