The Himachal Pradesh election office Tuesday served a notice to state BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti for allegedly using an expletive against Congress president Rahul Gandhi and is also probing a "threat" to cut off the ruling party leader's tongue, officials said.
The police registered an FIR against Satti under section 294 of IPC (obscene acts) under Baddi police limits.
State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Devesh Kumar said Satti has been served a notice for violation of Model Code of Conduct by the district election officer (DEO) of Solan.
The BJP leader has been asked to reply within 24 hours from the receipt of the notice, Kumar said.
The CEO said the Election Commission of India (ECI) had taken strict cognisance of the alleged derogatory comments by Satti, which had gone viral on social media.
The ECI has been informed about the action taken in the matter on the basis of the reports by Solan DEO, Kumar said.
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The Congress burned the effigies of Satti at district headquarters across the state on Tuesday.
The election office and the local police are looking into a BJP complaint that a Congress "supporter" has offered a reward of Rs 10 lakh to anyone who cuts of Satti's tongue.
Meanwhile, a video, which went viral on social media, showed an alleged Congress supporter Vinay Sharma -- claimed by the BJP to be a former deputy advocate general of the state during Congress rule -- announcing a reward of Rs 10 lakh for any person who cuts off Satti's tongue.
The BJP filed a complaint with the state chief electoral officer, demanding registration of FIR against the Congress and Vinay Sharma for threat, criminal intimidation, instigation of physical violence and for other electoral offences.
In his complaint, state BJP general secretary Chander Mohan Thakur alleged, "The Congress leader, who has been identified as Vinay Sharma, a former deputy advocate general during Congress rule, is openly instigating the public to bodily harm Satti."