For breach of peace during the farmers' protest against the new farm laws, the Sambhal district administration in Uttar Pradesh issued notices to six farmer leaders asking them to submit personal bonds of Rs 50,000 each. However previously this amount was quoted as Rs 50 lakh.
The farmers complained the amount was too much, following which the police station incharge gave another report and they were asked to submit personal bonds of Rs 50,000 each, according to Subdivisional Magistrate Deependra Yadav
Now a new report has come in the media that a 'clerical error' from an official at the district administration led to Rs 50 lakh printed in 'a breach of peace' notice sent to farmer leaders, a police official said. He added that a revised notice has been sent to them. "It was a clerical error. We have revised the amount in the notice to Rs 50,000," Sambhal SP Chakresh Mishra told NDTV.
The six farmers, who were served notices, include Bharatiya Kisan Union (Asli) district president Rajpal Singh Yadav and farmer leaders Jaiveer Singh, Brahmachari Yadav, Satendra Yadav, Raudas and Veer Singh.
The Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Sambhal had sent the notice to farm leaders referring to a police report that claimed they would 'incite' farmers to participate in the agitation against the government's contentious farm laws.
The notices were issued under Section 111 (magistrate order against any person who is likely to commit breach of peace) of the Code of Criminal Procedure on the basis of a report submitted by police, the official said.
"This is an emergency like situation. This must never have happened. The government feels they can put pressure on us and make us sit at home. It is not a crime to demand our rights. Where is the breach of peace? We will not reply to any notices," said Rajpal Yadav, whose name appears in the notice.
