UP cops file FIR against Cong leader, 6 journos

NOIDA: Noida police on Thursday registered a first information report (FIR) against Congress parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor and six senior journalists, including India Today anchor Rajdeep Sardesai, under charges of promoting enmity, hurting religious feelings, criminal intimidation, conspiracy and sedition for their alleged tweets related to the violence by protesting farmers on Republic Day in Delhi.

The complainant Arpit Mishra, a 34-year-old businessman, is a resident of Supertech Capetown in Noida Sector 74. Mishra claimed he is not associated with any political party.

“I was watching television on Republic Day when I saw the farmers’ tractor rally had lost its direction. At the same I also saw tweets that led to further violence in Delhi,” Mishra alleged.

In the FIR, police named Tharoor, journalists Rajdeep Sardesai, Mrinal Pande, Zafar Agha, Paresh Nath, Anant Nath, Vinod K Jose and unknown persons. Mishra alleged that these people deliberately posted objectionable, misleading and instigating content on social media.

He did not substantiate these allegations. When asked why Noida police filed a case when the incident took place in Delhi, police cyber crime cases can be registered anywhere.