Ballia (UP), April 28 (IANS): Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate from Ballia Lok Sabha seat, Sanatan Pandey, has been booked for allegedly spreading enmity, hatred and animosity among sections of the society and also threatening the District Election Officer, police said on Sunday.

Superintendent of Police Dev Ranjan Verma said that on the complaint of Sub Inspector Makhan Singh in Ballia city, an FIR has been lodged against Pandey under Section 171 F of the IPC (exercising undue influence in elections), 189 (threatening a public servant), 186 (obstructing a public servant in public work), 505 (2) (spreading hatred and animosity between different groups) and sections 125 and 136 of the Representation of the People Act 1950.

He said Pandey had tried to spread enmity, hatred and hostility in society while commenting on the tenure and works of the present government on April 27.

He also threatened the District Election Officer.

Pandey lost the Lok Sabha elections 2019 as an SP candidate to the BJP's Virendra Singh Mast by a margin of 16,000 votes.

Voting will be held in Ballia in the seventh phase on June 1.