AAP MLA Naresh Yadav remanded to two days police custody in sacrilege case

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Naresh Yadav was today remanded to police custody for two days by a local court for an incident of alleged sacrilege, a day after the Delhi legislator was arrested in the case by the Punjab police.

Malerkotla Additional Civil Judge Preeti Sukheja sent Yadav to two days' police custody after he was produced before her.

The Punjab Police had last night arrested Yadav who was booked in connection with the alleged sacrilege incident on 24 June in Malerkotla after one of the accused arrested - Vijay - claimed he had acted at the behest of the AAP MLA.

He has been charged with IPC sections 109 (punishment for abettment if the act abetted is committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth etc and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 295 (injury or defiling place of worship with an intent to insult the religion of any class).

Yadav had described the police action against him as a "conspiracy". The police had claimed that Vijay had met the MLA before the incident and calls were also exchanged between them.

The Mehrauli MLA and his party have denied the charges and alleged it was a "political conspiracy" to malign AAP's image ahead of Assembly polls in Punjab.

Meanwhile, AAP's Punjab incharge Sanjay Singh condemned the arrest.

"Whatever is being done with the AAP MLA is under a conspiracy to malign the party and it is not correct," he said outside the court.

He announced that the party will stage protests across Punjab for three hours in front of the offices of the Deputy Commissioners.