Lucknow: Manish Jagan Agarwal, who manages the social media accounts of the Samajwadi Party (SP), was arrested by Lucknow Police late on Friday night. Following his arrest, security has been increased outside the residence of SP national president Akhilesh Yadav and the party headquarters. The police have deployed additional forces to prevent any potential protests by SP workers.
Manish Jagan Agarwal, also national president of Samajwadi Party Vyapar Sabha, was taken into custody from his home. Lucknow Police confirmed his arrest, said that it was necessary to prevent the spread of negativity, unrest, and violence in society through objectionable social media posts. However, Samajwadi Party alleged that the arrest was conducted forcefully and raised concerns about the safety of Manish and his family.
यदि श्री मनीष जगन द्वारा कोई भी आपत्तिजनक पोस्ट किया गया है जिससे अशांति और हिंसा की स्थिति उत्पन्न होती है तो वो पोस्ट लखनऊ पुलिस साझा करे अन्यथा निराधार बातों से विपक्ष के नेताओं का शोषण बंद करें।@lkopolice @LkoCp https://t.co/43hedLopHD
— Samajwadi Party (@samajwadiparty) February 15, 2025
SP shares info on X
The SP took to the social media platform ‘X’ to share the news, stating that Manish, who is a high blood pressure patient, was arrested despite his wife being pregnant. The party has held the Lucknow Police accountable for any harm caused to Manish or his family.
Akhilesh Yadav is expected to hold a press conference on Saturday afternoon to address the issue. It is believed that SP workers may stage protests before or after the press conference. To prevent any unrest, the number of police personnel has been increased near Akhilesh Yadav’s residence, the SP headquarters, and the Police Commissioner’s office, which is located between the two.
Manish Agarwal arrested in 2023
This is not the first time Manish Jagan Agarwal has been arrested. In early 2023, he was also taken into custody, leading to a strong reaction from Akhilesh Yadav, who personally visited the police headquarters to support him. The SP had made several allegations against the Uttar Pradesh Police during that incident. Meanwhile, Akhilesh Yadav will hold a press conference later in the day.
