MP Police book Sanjay Raut for false remarks on Ladli Behna Yojana

    Bhopal, Oct 9 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh Police on Wednesday registered an FIR against Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut for allegedly making misleading remarks over the state government's flagship Ladli Behna Yojana, an official said.
    The case was registered this evening by the Bhopal crime branch after a complaint was lodged by BJP's Mahila Morcha district unit president Vandana Jachak and its vice president Sushma Chouhan, Deputy Commissioner of Police Akhil Patel told PTI.
    The complaint against Raut was lodged hours after Chief Minister Mohan Yadav alleged leaders of the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray were trying to mislead voters out of fear of losing the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls.
    Raut had claimed that the Ladli Behna Yojana of the Madhya Pradesh government had been shut as it was only a political game while referring to a similar scheme launched for providing financial assistance to women in Maharashtra.
    Under the Ladli Behna Yojana in Madhya Pradesh, the government provides Rs 1,250 per month to women beneficiaries.
    Raut has been booked under sections 353 (2) (circulating statements containing false information) and 356 (2) (Defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).
    The complainants accused Raut of deliberately making a misleading statement that the Ladli Behna Yojana had been shut.
    Raut's remarks are aimed at maligning the image of MP CM Mohan Yadav and also hurt the sentiments of women beneficiaries of the state government's scheme getting monthly aid of Rs 1,250, the FIR said.
    The Shiv Sena (UBT) MP made this misleading statement as part of a conspiracy to disrupt the law and order situation and create disharmony through wrong information, the FIR stated.
    Notably, the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra launched the 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana' in August modelled on the MP government's scheme.
    Under the Maharashtra welfare scheme, eligible women aged 21-65 are provided Rs 1,500 per month.
    The 'Ladli Behna Yojana' was introduced by then Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
    "Sanjay Raut, please come to Madhya Pradesh and see. Ever since the Ladli Behna Yojana has been started, this amount of respect is being sent every month to the accounts of 1.29 crore sisters of the state," CM Yadav stated on X earlier on Wednesday.
    Thackeray's party, due to the fear of defeat in Maharashtra elections, wants to mislead the sisters, who will reply to this in the Maharashtra polls, he said.
    "Certainly, this scheme will prove to be an unprecedented step for women empowerment in Maharashtra too," Yadav stated.
    The CM further said the MP government had transferred the amount for this month under the scheme into the bank accounts of women beneficiaries, to mark Rani Durgawati Jayanti on October 5.
    He appealed to voters not to believe in such repeated conspiracies (referring to Raut's remarks), asserting that no one can think of stopping this scheme meant for women's empowerment.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)