A police case has been filed against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and six journalists for misreporting and disturbing communal harmony on republic day. Charges of sedition have been imposed on Rajdeep Sardesai, Zafar Agha, Vinod Jose, and others for misreporting on the farmers’ protest rallies and the violence that took place on January 26.
One First Information Report was filed in Noida and four FIRs in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal, Hosangabad, Multai and Betul.
The Special Cell is investigating the conspiracy and criminal designs behind these unfortunate events that occurred on Republic Day.
“A criminal case has been registered and is being investigated under sections of IPC dealing with sedition. The role and conduct of organizations and individuals based in India, as well as those out of the country, is being probed. The investigation is in progress and further details will be communicated in due course,” said Delhi Police Special Cell.
The FIRs “allege that the tweets were intentionally malicious and were the reason for the desecration of the Red Fort”.
The editors Guild of India has condemned the filing of police cases against senior editors and journalists. The EGI has found that these FIRs are an attempt to intimidate, harass, and stifle free media.
“The journalists have been specifically targeted for reporting the accounts pertaining to the death of one of the protestors on their personal social media handles as well as those of the publications they lead and represent. It must be noted that on the day of the protest and high action, several reports were emerging from eyewitnesses on the ground as well as from the police and therefore it was only natural for journalists to report all the details as they emerged. This is in line with established norms of journalistic practice,” the Editors Guild said in a statement.
The Editors Guild of India condemns the intimidating manner in which UP and MP police have registered FIRs against senior journalists, for reporting on farmers’ protests in Delhi on Jan 26. EGI finds these FIRs as an attempt to intimidate, harass, and stifle free media. pic.twitter.com/Mf3albnYvs
— Editors Guild of India (@IndEditorsGuild) January 29, 2021