New Delhi: Delhi Police informed a court that an FIR has been registered against journalist Rana Ayyub over alleged derogatory social media posts from 2016-17, accusing her of “insulting Hindu deities, spreading anti-India sentiment, and inciting religious disharmony.”
According to a statement by Kashmir Media Service, Chief Judicial Magistrate Himanshu Raman Singh disposed of a plea filed by advocate Amita Sachdeva after police submitted a compliance report on the court’s January 25 direction to register an FIR.
The FIR, dated January 27, has been lodged under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts outraging religious feelings), and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.
Political experts have criticized the registration of the case, stating that Rana Ayyub is being targeted for her outspoken criticism of the Indian government and her investigative journalism, which has exposed several high-profile scandals. The FIR seems to be a convenient pretext to silence her.