Cops say Briton held for lockdown offence, refute kin's claims

The Madhya Pradesh police have denied the allegations of the family of a British national held in Bhopal last month amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown. While the family of Sohail Hughes (29) told a British daily he was held unlawfully, Bhopal Zone I Additional Superintendent of Police Rajat Saklecha said he was arrested for breaking lockdown norms.

"He was in the country on a tourist visa and doing missionary work. He disobeyed lockdown norms in place to stop the outbreak. The family can put its side in court," Saklecha told PTI on Monday. As per the newspaper report, Hughes lives in Dewsbury in the United Kingdom, and had flown to India in February with the intention of returning on May 13.

Meanwhile, former MP advocate general Vivek Tankha took to Twitter demanding the Briton's release, claiming "his arrest and charge sheet is a blot on our criminal justice system"..