In UP for poll campaign, Chhattisgarh CM Baghel booked for flouting COVID-19 norms

The Uttar Pradesh police lodged an FIR against Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday for allegedly flouting COVID-19 norms while campaigning for a Congress candidate in Noida for the assembly polls, officials said.

Baghel along with some supporters was in Noida for a door-to-door campaign in support of Congress' Pankhuri Pathak when the alleged violations took place.

The case, lodged under the Epidemic Diseases Act, names 'others' also as accused besides the senior Congress leader from Chhattisgarh.

“The FIR was lodged against Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and others for violating COVID-19 rules as set by the Election Commission when they were in the Sector 113 police station area today (Sunday),” a police spokesperson said.

Indian Penal Code sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (unlawfully or negligently spreading infection of any disease dangerous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) have also been invoked in the case, the official added.