The Surat police on Sunday arrested Nirav Rana, founder of Vishwa Hindu Sewa Samiti, and his friend Umesh Jain after an SMS was allegedly sent from his mobile phone wishing ill of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi who is down with swine flu.

On Sunday, Assistant Commissioner of Police C-Division, N B Parmar filed a complaint against the duo pressing charges as per sections 153(A), 114, 120(B) of the IPC and IT Amendment Act 66(A). Rana, who was removed from the Youth Congress some time back, had formed the Vishwa Hindu Sewa Samiti in support of Sadhvi Pragya Thakur after she was arrested in connection with the Malegaon blasts.

ACP C Division N B Parmar said, “We have filed charges of provocation and conspiracy against the accused. They wanted to spread panic in the city through the SMS. We are interrogating them to find out their motive.”

Meanwhile, employees of 159 local civic bodies in Gujarat agitating for two months for various demands including implementation of Sixth Pay Commission have decided to suspend due to Modi’s illness. Mahendra Talaviya, president of the Gujarat Nagarpalika Karmachari Mahamandal informed Urban Development Minister Nitin Patel of their decision to suspend the agitation and put off a rally scheduled for Monday. ENS