The Uttar Pradesh police have booked state Congress chief Ajay Rai for allegedly making "objectionable" remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a public programme.
The FIR was lodged based on the complaint of a BJP worker at Kotwali Nagar police station on Saturday.
According to the complaint filed by Neeraj Rawat, Rai, while speaking at an event organised by former Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee secretary Brijraj Ahirwar on May 22, used "abusive and objectionable language" against the prime minister.
Rawat also alleged that Rai arrived for the programme conducted in Mahoba district's Samad Nagar locality, with a convoy of 15-16 vehicles and 25-30 supporters, causing obstruction on a public road and affecting normal movement in the area.
The complainant further alleged that police and administrative personnel had to leave their regular duties to maintain law and order at the venue.
Rawat also claimed that videos of the Congress leader's remarks regarding PM Modi later went viral on social media.
Terming the purported video fake and AI-generated by the BJP, Rai told PTI that he would lodge a police complaint in the matter once he reaches Lucknow.
BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP state president Pankaj Chaudhary, have condemned the "abusive" remarks.
Police said the FIR was registered against Rai, Brijraj Ahirwar and 25-30 unidentified supporters.
The FIR has been registered under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) including sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty), 189(2) (unlawful assembly), 196(1) (promoting enmity between different groups) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), police said.
Rawat alleged in his complaint that the remarks hurt public sentiments, triggered anger among BJP workers and created social tension.
He submitted a pen drive containing the purported viral video to the police as evidence and sought legal action against Rai, Brijraj Ahirwar and 25-30 unidentified supporters.
The development comes amid a political row in Uttar Pradesh over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's recent "traitor" remarks targeting the prime minister, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh during a rally in Raebareli.
Earlier this week, cross complaints were filed in Lucknow against Gandhi and Uttar Pradesh minister Dinesh Pratap Singh over the remarks and the BJP leader's response to them.
(With inputs from PTI)