Overview
- Rakesh Trehan, known as Raja D King, announced a live giveaway of iPhone 17 and newer models with a public draw and a 1,000-person pool for selection scheduled for September 22.
- Trehan set participation rules that require members to join a WhatsApp group and write "Jai Mata Di" daily to remain eligible, and he said winners would be contacted by phone.
- Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner Nishant Yadav instructed police to prevent any unauthorised gathering and the city’s senior police official said no formal permission was sought, citing Section 163 of the BNSS as the legal basis for blocking the in-person event.
- The administration’s move follows a chaotic August "petrol langar" by the same organiser that drew large crowds, prompted police intervention, and ended with no fuel distributed, which officials said informed their safety concerns.
- Authorities have signalled they may permit non-assembly methods if organisers meet legal and safety requirements, while residents who joined Trehan’s groups face uncertainty and the risk of travel or crowd pressures for a now-disallowed public event.