Bijnor (Uttar Pradesh), Jun 21 (IANS): Three persons, including an NRI woman, have been booked by the police for allegedly trying to 'tarnish' the image of the brother and family members of Ram Mandir trust general secretary, Champat Rai.

In the FIR lodged on Sunday, the police have booked the three accused under 15 sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), some of them non-bailable, and under the IT Act. The FIR was lodged on the basis of a complaint filed by Rai's brother, Sanjay Bansal.

Bansal alleged that former journalist Vineet Narain put up a 'malicious' post on Facebook, accusing him and his family members of grabbing property in Bijnor's Nagina area.

He also alleged that Indonesia-returned, Alka Lahoti, and another person, Rajneesh, 'conspired' with Narain to defame his family and 'hurt religious sentiments of people of the country'.

Nagina is the hometown of VHP leader Champat Rai.

Bijnor superintendent of police (SP) Dharamveer Singh said, "A case has been registered against Vineet Narain, Alka Lahoti and Rajneesh. They had put up a derogatory post on Facebook making allegations of corruption against Champat Rai's family members. We have set up an inquiry into the matter. Prima facie, the allegation seems to be false. The accused tried to tarnish the image of Rai and hurt the religious sentiments of people. However, a probe is on and documents are being checked."

The case was filed under IPC sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion), 293 (circulating obscene objects), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings), 417 (punishment for cheating), 419 (punishment for cheating by personation), 448 (punishment for house-trespass), 465 (punishment for forgery), 457 (lurking house-trespass or house-breaking by night), 469 (whoever commits forgery, intending that the document or electronic record forged shall harm the reputation of any party).