The Indian Youth Congress has filed an FIR against the Bharatiya Janata Party IT cell head Amit Malviya and the editor-in-chief of a national news channel for allegedly running false information.
The complaint, filed by the Indian Youth Congress’s legal cell head Shrikant Swaroop, was registered as a non-bailable offence under section 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 352 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
In the FIR, Amit Malviya and editor-in-chief of Republic TV Arnab Goswami have been accused of exploiting national sentiments, defaming the political institution and incitement to public unrest.
The X post by IYC legal cell mentions that the duo has attempted to defame the constitutional office of the Leader of Opposition of Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and that “we will not stay silent”.
The FIR mentions that the accused Malviya and Goswami have created a “heinous and criminally motivated campaign to disseminate patently false information”.
Swaroop also alleged that the accused have “maliciously propagated the fabricated claim” that the Istanbul Congress Centre in Turkiye is the office of the Indian National Congress (INC).
Stating that this act has been done to defame INC, it further said: “This act was executed with clear and undeniable criminal intent to deceive the Indian public, defame a major political institution, manipulate nationalist sentiments, incite public unrest, and undermine national security.”
Swaroop also highlights that these actions are amid the strained relations between India and Turkey and that these actions are driven by the duo’s perceived support for Pakistan.
“The actions of Malviya and Goswami represent an unprecedented attack on India’s democratic foundations. Their calculated misuse of influence to spread falsehoods with criminal intent demands the harshest response,” the complainant alleged.
According to the FIR report, Malviya and Goswami have made use of their position of influence to “advance partisan agenda” and to perpetrate “grave assault on truth, public safety, and national interest.”
Swaroop further appealed to the Press Council of India, the ministry of information and broadcasting, the CBI and other law enforcement agencies to treat this complaint as a national emergency.
(With inputs from PTI)