The Delhi Police has filed a first information report (FIR) against ‘journalist’ Meer Faisal ( Twitter handle @meerfaisal01), and a news portal “Article 14” (@Article14live), on Monday, April 4, 2022, for disseminating false information via Twitter. The false information was shared regarding The Hindu Mahapanchayat event organized by the Save India Foundation at the Burari ground in Delhi on Sunday.
The FIR, according to reports, was registered under section 505 (2) (Statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code at Delhi’s Mukharjee Nagar police station. The FIR read that the social media users could have incited enmity, hatred, and ill-will between two groups.
“An FIR under Indian Penal Code’s Section 505 (2) has been registered at Mukherjee Nagar Police Station against some Twitter handles for tweets in circulation having content which could incite enmity, hatred, and ill-will between two communal groups. The investigation in the case has been taken up,” said deputy police commissioner (northwest) Usha Rangnani.
Delhi Police Tweeted that due legal action is being taken against those who are spreading rumors/misinformation using various platforms including social media.
FIR also registered against holding of event without permission & for making provocative speech at event.
— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) April 4, 2022
Further, due legal action is being taken against those who are spreading rumors/misinformation using various platforms including social media.(2/2)
The action was purportedly taken by Delhi police in response to Meer Faisal’s tweet on the 3rd of April. Meer Faisal, a regular contributor to leftist publications like The Wire, The Quint and Al Jazeera, had claimed that he and four other Muslim journalists were ‘assaulted’ at the event by a Hindu mob.
News portal Article 14 had also tweeted yesterday, “5 journalists, 4 of them Muslim,1 on assignment for @Article14live, have been taken by police to the Mukherji Nagar police station in Delhi after a mob at #Hindu#dharamsansad (for which the police had declined permission) discovered their religion, attacked them & deleted videos”.
5 journalists, 4 of them Muslim,1 on assignment for @Article14live, have been taken by police to the Mukherji Nagar police station in Delhi after a mob at #Hindu #dharamsansad (for which the police had declined permission) discovered their religion, attacked them & deleted videos
— Article 14 (@Article14live) April 3, 2022
Interestingly, similar claims were also made by The Quint reporter Meghnad Bose regarding the detention of Muslim journalists that went viral on social media.
The Quint Journalist Meghnad Bose who claimed to have reported the event informed that Muslim Journalists named Meer Faisal and Mohd Meharban were ‘assaulted’ by a Hindu Mob at the event. He also termed the gathering as an ‘anti-Muslim hate speech event’ taking place in Delhi.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, North-West Delhi, was quick to state facts to refute Meghnad Bose’s claims. She tweeted, “Some of the reporters, willingly, on their own free will, to evade the crowd which was getting agitated by their presence, sat in PCR Van stationed at the venue and opted to proceed to Police Station for security reasons. No one was detained. Due police protection was provided.”
The DCP also went on to say that for spreading misinformation, due necessary action shall be initiated against such persons.
