YouTuber confronts UP minister with questions, booked for disturbing peace
Sambhal (UP), Mar 15: A YouTuber was booked and taken into custody here after being accused of creating a ruckus during a state minister's visit to his village, where he had questioned her on pending development projects.
Sanjay Rana, who is associated with YouTube channel "Moradabad Ujjala", was booked after a video of the event surfaced online and a local BJP youth wing leader filed a complaint.
The YouTube journalist had confronted Minister of State for Secondary Education Gulab Devi, who is also the local MLA, when she visited Budh Nagar Khandua village in Sambhal district on Saturday for laying the foundation stone for a check dam.
Superintendent of Police Chakresh Misra said Rana was taken into preventive detention and released later on bail granted by the sub divisional magistrate.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav targeted the ruling BJP over the incident, linking it with its criticism of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks in Britain on democracy in India.
"This is the picture of democracy and freedom of expression under the BJP government," he tweeted, tagging a purported clip of Rana with a policeman who had tied his hand with a piece of rope.
In a video online, the YouTuber is heard telling the minister that during her last visit she had said she is adopting the village. She had taken an oath in the temple to get the village's work done, and sought help in getting herself elected, Rana had said.
"You had talked about getting the temple road paved but it's still a rough road. What do you have to say about this?" he is heard asking. The minister then assures that she will get all those things done.
On Sunday, a day after the minister's visit, a case was filed at Chandausi police station on the basis of local BJP youth wing leader Shubham Raghav's complaint.
Raghav alleged that the "fake journalist" who carried a YouTube channel identity card and a microphone disrupted government work and used abusive and threatening language.
The SP said the allegations in the FIR are being probed.
Additional SP Shrish Chandra said Rana was booked for breach of peace
On Twitter, Akhilesh Yadav said, "The BJP which created a hue and cry over a statement on foreign soil on the state of democracy in India should also see the condition of a journalist in Uttar Pradesh Sambhal, taken into custody for questioning a BJP minister on development work."
"This is the picture of democracy and freedom of expression under the BJP government," he added.
यूपी के संभल में पत्रकार संजय राणा ने मंत्री गुलाब देवी से तीखे सवाल पूछे, जवाब में पहले FIR फिर गिरफ्तारी हो गई.
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) March 13, 2023
जिस किसी को श्री राहुल गांधी के लोकतंत्र के कमज़ोर होने वाले वक्तव्य पर आपत्ति है - पढ़िए यह खबरpic.twitter.com/jsnkH6zWle
विदेशी धरती पर भारत में लोकतंत्र की स्थिति पर बयान देने पर बवाल मचाने वाली भाजपा उप्र के संभल में इस पत्रकार की हालत भी देख ले, जिसे विकास कार्यों पर भाजपाई मंत्री से पूछे गए सवाल के कारण हिरासत में ले लिया गया है।
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) March 14, 2023
ये है भाजपा सरकार में लोकतंत्र व अभिव्यक्ति की आज़ादी की तस्वीर। pic.twitter.com/smhanrvILb
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Allahabad HC orders probe into 'reinstatement' of teacher in UP's Barabanki
Lucknow (PTI): The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday ordered a probe by the special task force (STF) into alleged irregularities in the rejoining of a teacher at City Intermediate College in Barabanki, observing that the reinstatement appeared to be prima facie illegal.
The court also directed the recovery of the salary paid to the teacher during the disputed period.
A bench of Justice Rajeev Singh passed the order on a petition filed by the college management committee. The court expressed doubts over the roles of the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS), Barabanki, the college principal and the teacher concerned and hence, directed a detailed inquiry into the matter.
Taking note of alleged manipulation of records and misleading submissions, the court ordered the immediate transfer of the Barabanki DIOS to ensure a fair probe. It also directed the initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the then joint director of education of the Ayodhya division.
In its order, the court found that the teacher, Abhay Kumar, was initially appointed as an assistant teacher in 2018 but joined an Eklavya Model Residential School in Chhattisgarh as a lecturer in June 2024 without obtaining permission from the management. His subsequent request to retain the lien was rejected.
Despite this, he was allowed to rejoin the Barabanki College in September 2025 on the directions of the joint director of education and the DIOS, and was even paid the salary for October 2025. The court termed the rejoining "wholly illegal" and lacking any legal basis.
The bench also expressed concern over lapses in communication within the education department and directed the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary to ensure that official orders are communicated through email and WhatsApp as well, to prevent disputes.
The matter is next listed for hearing on May 28 when a compliance report is sought.
