Ex-IPS Officer Amitabh Thakur Remanded in Defamation Case

Amitabh Thakur, Azad Sena president and former IPS officer, has been remanded to 14 days' judicial custody in a defamation case initiated by a Varanasi resident, Ambrish Singh. The custody was granted after court proceedings despite arguments from Thakur's counsel opposing the remand based on Supreme Court directions.

Amitabh Thakur, the president of Azad Sena and a former IPS officer, was remanded to 14 days' judicial custody by a local court on Friday over a defamation case lodged at the Chowk police station.

The decision was issued by the in-charge Special Chief Judicial Magistrate Rajeev Mukul Pandey, who ordered Thakur's detention after approving a judicial remand.

The case was initiated by Ambrish Singh, a resident of Varanasi and a Hindu Yuva Vahini member, following a social media post by Thakur reportedly defaming Singh. Thakur's lawyer opposed the remand, noting penalties were less than seven years, per Supreme Court guidelines. However, the prosecution argued for a cognizable offense, leading to the court's decision to grant the remand.

(With inputs from agencies.)