Days after multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) were filed against Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, ‘journalist’ Rajdeep Sardesai and others for spreading fake news during the Republic Day riots, they have now approached the Supreme Court seeking relief in the case.
As per reports, they were booked for spreading the fake news that one protestor was shot dead by Delhi Police during the tractor rally on Republic Day. However, in reality, the victim had died after his tractor overturned in an accident. Rajdeep Sardesai had tweeted the fake news on Twitter, and later had repeated the same on India Today, claiming that bullet injury was seen on the head of the deceased. Shashi Tharoor had also circulated the fake news, which had instigated the protestors to indulge in violence.
Besides Tharoor and Sardesai, cases were lodged against Congress mouthpiece National Herald’s Senior consulting editor Mrinal Pandey, Quami Awaz editor Zafar Agha, Caravan magazine’s editor and founder Paresh Nath, Caravan editor Anant Nath and its executive editor Vinod K Jose, and one unnamed person. Several charges were pressed against them under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153 (provocation to cause riot), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) and 505-1b (intent to cause fear to the public).
Multiple FIRs against Rajdeep Sardesai, Shashi Tharoor in UP, Delhi, MP
On Saturday, the Delhi Police filed a case against journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and 6 others in connection to the violence on the occasion of India’s 71st Republic Day. As per reports, the First Information Report (FIR) was lodged at the IP Estate police station. While speaking about the case, DCP (Central Delhi) Jasmeet Singh said that the FIR was registered for creating disharmony and spreading false information on Republic Day about a farmer dying due to police firing.
The Madhya Pradesh Police, too, had filed an FIR against Tharoor and six others for fake news on the death of the rioter who died after his tractor turned turtle. UP Police has also lodged a similar FIR against the accused under sections 153(A), 153(B), 295(A), 298, 506, 505(2), 124(A)/34/120(B) of the Indian Penal Code, and under section 66 of the Information Technology act.
