Jaipur police on Thursday arrested social media influencer Sachin Sen, also known as Lappu Sachin, for distributing alcohol to motorists on the day of Nirjala Ekadashi, a sacred Hindu fasting festival.
The incident was captured in a viral video that sparked condemnation from several Hindu groups and eventually led to police intervention.
According to Jaipur South Deputy Commissioner of Police Digant Anand, the video showed a group of young men handing out alcohol on city roads from a Scorpio SUV, which was tracked through its registration number.
The event, believed to have occurred during the religious festival, was deemed offensive and potentially aimed at hurting public sentiment.
Following an investigation, police detained Sachin Sen and arrested his six accomplices: Pradeep Kadwasra, Vikas Verma, Abhishek Nirmal, Sunil Kumar, Aditya Mahariya and Ankit.
The group admitted during questioning that their intention was to gain popularity on social media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, not to hurt religious sentiments.
However, since the act coincided with Nirjala Ekadashi, it drew widespread criticism. All accused have apologised publicly for their actions.