Journalist Prashant Kanojia, arrested for sharing video on CM Yogi Adityanath, released on bail

A day after the Supreme Court's directive, the Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday released journalist Prashant Kanojia on bail. Kanojia, who spent four nights behind the bars, was arrested on Saturday for allegedly making objectionable comments against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on social media.

He was allowed bail after furnishing two sureties of Rs 20,000 each and a personal bond for the same amount.

As Kanojia was released, the fate of five others arrested for posting and sharing alleged objectionable remarks against the Uttar Pradesh CM hung in balance.

The five others arrested on similar charges include three journalists and two Gorakhpur residents while the police are looking for one each in Kannauj and Basti.          

Kanojia was arrested for sharing a video on his Twitter and Facebook accounts. The video showed a woman repeatedly expressing her desire to marry Adityanath.

According to police, Kanojia's comments on social media had maligned the chief minister's image.

47-year-old Aditryanath is also the 'mahant' (head priest) of the Gorakhnath mutt.

Officials said Ishika Singh, channel head of Nation Live and editor Anuj Shukla were arrested in Noida on June 8, two days after telecasting the controversial content "without verifying" its authenticity.

The duo was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. Nation Live editor Anshul Kaushik was arrested in Noida on Monday night and sent to 14-day judicial custody Tuesday on the same charges which were slapped against the channel head and editor.

In a separate incident, a scrap dealer Peer Mohammad was arrested in Gorakhpur on Monday for making a fake "wedding card" of the UP chief minister go viral on social netowrk.

In Gorakhpur itself, a nursing home manager, Ram Prakash was put behind bars on Monday for making indecent remarks against Adityanath on social media.

Meanwhile, cases have been registered against two other persons on similar grounds, but they have not been arrested so far.

Santosh Kumar Gupta has been booked in Kannauj for uploading a morphed picture of Adityanath, while Vijay Yadav of Basti is facing charges for allegedly making some derogatory remarks against the chief minister on social media, police said.

With PTI Inputs