Jayant Gautam, son of former Congress MP A.P. Gautam, was detained and later released in connection with controversial hoardings put up along a highway in the Haidergarh area of Uttar Pradesh, depicting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath raising issues including Ram temple donation, paper leak and inflation, officials said on Tuesday (June 30, 2026).
The hoardings, installed at several locations between Bara Toll Plaza and the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in the Haidergarh area, have drawn widespread attention.
The hoardings feature photographs of Mr. Modi and Mr. Adityanath with tape over their mouths and raise questions over issues such as the alleged theft of offerings at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, inflation, unemployment and paper leak incidents. They also feature a photograph of Mr. Jayant Gautam at the bottom.
Haidergarh Sub-Divisional Magistrate Rajesh Vishwakarma said the hoardings were inappropriate and an FIR would be registered in the matter.
According to the police, the hoardings were put up by Mr. Jayant Gautam. He was taken into custody and questioned at the Haidergarh police station late at night before being released.
His release followed the intervention of Congress Barabanki MP Tanuj Punia and the Congress district president, Mohsin, at the police station.
Circle Officer Sangam Kumar said they were trying to ascertain whether permission had been obtained from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) before installing the hoardings and to determine the purpose behind displaying them.
Superintendent of Police Arpit Vijayvargiya has sought a report on the matter, officials said.
The administration swung into action after BJP workers lodged a complaint objecting to the depiction of the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister with tape over their mouths.
The hoardings have become a talking point in the area, with motorists on the highway slowing down to read the messages. Photographs of the displays have also been widely shared on social media.
Published – June 30, 2026 01:55 pm IST
