Uttar Pradesh [Images] Congress Committee president Rita Bahuguna Joshi was on Thursday remanded to judicial custody for 14 days for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Chief Minister Mayawati [Images].

The state police, who took her into custody late on Wednesday night while she was on her way from Ghaziabad to New Delhi [Images], produced her before Moradabad's chief judicial magistrate, who ordered her to be sent to 14 days judicial custody. She was then sent to the Moradabad jail.

Apart from the stringent Prevention of Atrocities Act against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Bahuguna Joshi was also charged under the provisions of Section 153 A of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with 'promoting enmity between two groups on grounds of religion and race', as well as Section 509 that deals with 'word or gesture aimed at outraging the modesty of a woman'

While Joshi claimed that she had simply condemned Mayawati for doling out a paltry sum of Rs 25,000 as compensation to Dalit rape victims, UP's Additional Director General of Police Brij Lal told reporters, "Mrs Joshi was arrested for making certain objectionable remarks that were violative of various provisions of law."

According to him, while referring to the compensation being given to rape victims, the UPCC chief had allegedly said, "If Mayawati were to face similar circumstances, I could shell out a compensation of Rs 1 crore."

The state police claim to have a recording of Joshi's 'objectionable' speech.

Though Bahuguna Joshi has expressed regret for her remarks and apologised to Mayawati, Joshi accused the chief minister and the members of Bahujan Samaj Party of instigating violence at her residence in Lucknow [Images], and termed it as a conspiracy against her.

In New Delhi, Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the UP government's action was an act of complete desperation and personal vendetta against Joshi. Manish Tiwari, another Congress spokesman, said Mayawati was resorting to strong arm tactics.