Patna, April 18 (IANS): A case was lodged against a Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader in Bihar's Samastipur district on Saturday for allegedly circulating vulgar pictures of union Minister Smriti Irani on WhatsApp messenger.

"An FIR was lodged with us (over vulgar pictures of Irani) and it made LJP leader Umashankar Mishra as the main accused," said Samastipur's Superintendent of Police S.P. Chaudhary.

Mishra is Samastpur town president of the LJP, which is an ally of Irani's Bharatiya Janata Party.

BJP leader Rajiv Ranjan, who approached police, said vulgar pictures of Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani were circulated on WhatsApp and these pictures were also sent to some BJP leaders through Mishra's mobile phone.

"We have submitted evidences to police," Ranjan said. "It was an attempt to defame Irani and the BJP."

Ranjan urged LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan, a union minister, to take strong action against Mishra.

Cyber crime cell of Bihar Police launched an investigation into the case.