A BJP leader, who washed the feet of Godda BJP MP Nishikant Dubey publicly on September 16 and drank the water, filed criminal cases against at least 10 editors and senior journalists of newspapers and television channels in a court on Wednesday alleging humiliation, his action prompting RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to attack the MP for promoting feudal practices.

In his complaint, Pawan Sah (50) named five eye witnesses, in addition to 1,000 unnamed persons, and asked the court to book them under IPC Sections 500 (punishment for defamation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), besides Section 67 of the IT Act.

The court will hear the case on October 3.

“The BJP must expel such an MP who encourages feudalism in society,” Tejashwi told The Telegraph over phone.

Earlier, tweeting details of media organisations targeted by Sah, Tejashwi wrote: “Instead of apologising for his shameful conduct, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey (getting his dirty feet washed by a poor man who then drank that water) is bullying and trying to intimidate people in the media & social media through cases through his proxies.”

Kejriwal retweeted Tejashwi’s post, adding, “So far the BJP was controlling media by controlling advertisers and through money. But now it seems it has decided to file police cases against media if it dares to question shameful acts of its MPs.”

Sah said he respected media but not at the cost of self respect.