Uttar Pradesh police have registered a case against the BJP’s Ghaziabad district vice-president for allegedly sending lewd and intimidating messages to his counterpart in the district unit of the party’s women’s wing.

“Nitin Mittal sent me lewd messages on the phone. He also sent me insulting messages mentioning my daughter-in-law’s name,” Geeta Kaushik was quoted as telling the police on Friday. She has submitted screenshots of the messages to the police.

She told reporters that many BJP women members had made similar complaints against Mittal, but the party leadership never took action against him.

Anand Mishra, in charge of Modinagar police station, said: “We have registered a case against the accused and handed the probe to the cyber cell of the police. Action will be initiated against the accused after the cyber cell submits its report.”

Party sources said Kaushik had met the BJP state president, Pankaj Chaudhary, a few days ago and shown him the WhatsApp chats.

“She had demanded Mittal’s suspension from the party so that the women feel safe within the organisation. But the party leaders ignored the matter. The police were forced to file the case when over 50 women workers of the party surrounded Modinagar police station and a member of the Uttar Pradesh State Commission for Women spoke to the victim,” a BJP woman leader told the media in Ghaziabad.

“The party claims it wants to give respect to women and accuses the Opposition of being anti-women. However, despite evidence, it is not taking action against Mittal, perhaps because he raises funds for the party,” she added.