Sitapur (Uttar Pradesh), May 13 (IANS): A newly elected village head and his four associates who were arrested last week for breaching Covid protocols were booked under sedition laws on Thursday for allegedly raising anti-India slogans and praising Pakistan.

The village head of Belauta village, Aslam Khan, and his four associates, were arrested last week by Sitapur police.

Superintendent of police (SP), Sitapur, R P Singh, said that a preliminary probe was initiated and the video/audio footage of Khan's remarks were analyzed.

"He was clearly heard raising pro-Pakistan slogans and the sedition charge was added to the FIR on basis of evidence. We had arrested the accused on May 8," he said.

The accused pradhan's elder brother, Shakeel Khan, alleged the rival candidate had 'planted' youngsters in the crowd, who raised pro-Pakistan slogans.

"He (rival) videographed the procession and used the footage to frame my brother," he said.

Shakeel said, the video circulated on social media showed children raising slogans and neither his brother nor any adult was part of the procession.

"A right-wing outfit had mounted pressure on police to add sedition charges in the FIR. He was initially booked only for violating Covid guidelines," he said.

Station house officer, Thanagaon, Anil Singh said, "Aslam and his associates, Salman, Atiq, Farid and Arif, had come out on the streets to celebrate the victory.

"Beating drums, Aslam and his supporters raised pro-Pakistan slogans, which could have triggered a communal clash. A police team reached the spot after complaints from residents," Singh said.

He added that Aslam and his supporters also flouted Covid-19 guidelines.