Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani and seven others have been booked in an FIR for allegedly obstructing a police inspector, creating a commotion inside Pethapur police station in Gandhinagar, and attempting to incite community tensions during campaigning for the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) elections, Gujarat Police stated on Monday, 12 October 2026. The case was registered on Sunday night — the same day polling was conducted across 11 wards of the GMC. No arrests have been made so far, according to the Police Station Officer of Pethapur police station.

The Incident That Triggered the FIR

The sequence of events began on 8 October, when Yunus Parmar, the Congress candidate from Ward 4, was summoned to Pethapur police station for questioning. A complaint had been filed alleging that Parmar and his associates threatened Bhavesh Bhavsar, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) campaigner, at Sanjari Park in Pethapur around 10 pm on 8 October. According to the complaint, the accused allegedly warned Bhavsar against campaigning in the area and threatened him with 'serious consequences'.

The complaint was filed by Police Inspector A.M. Desai, who is posted at Pethapur police station. A written complaint against Parmar and unidentified associates was subsequently submitted to the station.

What Allegedly Happened Inside the Police Station

Inspector Desai alleged that while he was recording Parmar's statement in connection with the complaint — a part of his official duties — Mevani and the other accused formed an unlawful assembly and entered the writer's room at the police station. They allegedly obstructed Desai from carrying out his duties, used abusive language, created a commotion, and forcibly prevented Parmar's statement from being recorded.

The complaint further alleged that Mevani and the other accused subsequently sat outside the police station with supporters and raised slogans referring to the Thakor community. According to Desai, their actions were intended to provoke people against the police, defame the force, disturb public peace, and create tensions between communities.

Social Media Circulation and Legal Charges

The FIR also alleged that the accused recorded the incident on a mobile phone and circulated the footage on social media with the intention of generating or promoting enmity between different communities. The actions are said to have violated a notification issued by the Additional District Magistrate, Gandhinagar.

Mevani and the seven others have been booked under Sections 189(2) and 191(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), relating to unlawful assembly and rioting respectively, along with Sections 221, 351(2), and 352, concerning obstruction of a public servant, criminal intimidation, and intentional insult intended to provoke a breach of peace. Section 135 of the Gujarat Police Act has also been invoked.

Electoral Context

The FIR was registered as voting was underway for the GMC elections across 11 wards on Sunday. The timing — polling day itself — adds political sensitivity to the case. Notably, this is not the first time Mevani, a prominent Dalit rights activist-turned-legislator, has been embroiled in legal disputes; critics argue such cases carry political undertones, while authorities maintain the charges reflect a straightforward law-and-order complaint. As of Monday, no arrests had been made.

The case is expected to draw further political attention as results from the GMC elections emerge and both the Congress and BJP weigh their responses.