Mukhesh Kumar, a resident editor at Sudarshan News, has been arrested by Gurugram Police for allegedly spreading fake news. Gurugram Police released a statement on Twitter saying that Mukesh Kumar was arrested on 11th August for posting misleading and false information on Twitter. Before the arrest, an FIR was filed against him on under section 66C of the IT Act and sections 153B, 469, 501, 505(1)(C) over his tweet dated 8th August.
The first information report (FIR) was filed against the Sudarshan News journalist by the Gurugram police for allegedly making false claims against the Gurugram police regarding Nuh violence. On 8th August, Kumar tweeted that the Gurugram police commission (CP) is being pressurised by Al Jazeera to take action against Hindus over the Nuh violence case.
He tweeted, “Gurgaon Police Commissioner is getting calls from @AJENews (AL JAZEERA NEWS CHANNEL). She is being Pressurised to act against Hindus. And @DC_Gurugram after getting the call comes under so much pressure that she is picking up Hindu activists from just about anywhere. @cmohry Please take cognizance.”
The police, upon filing the complaint, reportedly stated, “The tweet was posted based on baseless, untrue, and misleading facts from the ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) handle @mukeshkrd on August 8. Taking cognisance of this, the Gurugram Police have registered a case and further investigation into the matter is underway.”
FIR has been filed against Mukesh Kumar under sections 153B, 401, 469, and 505 (1) (C) of the IPC and section 66-C of the IT Act. Kumar had been covering the violence in Nuh ever since the incident took place on 31st July.
Sudarshan News Editor in Chief raises questions over the arrest
After the confirmation of the arrest by police, Sudarshan News Editor-in-Chief Suresh Chavhanke raised several questions to the police over the development. He asked why a senior journalist was arrested by police ‘like goons’ and why they were in civilian clothes and not in uniform.
Chavhanke further alleged that while the police are unable to arrest jihadis in Mewat, they misbehaved with a journalist. He alleged that while those who harrassed Hindu women are roaming free, police filing FIR on a mere tweet. He asked if the Haryana government bows before the ego of an officer.
मेवात में जिहादी झुंड के सामने लाचार हरियाना पुलिस ने मुकेश कुमार को गिरफ़्तार करने पर मेरे कुछ प्रश्न। #ReleaseMukeshKumar
— Suresh Chavhanke “Sudarshan News” (@SureshChavhanke) August 11, 2023
१- मुकेश जी जैसे वरिष्ठ पत्रकार को गुरुग्राम पुलिस ने गुंडों की तरह कैसे उठाया ?
२- गिरफ्तार करने पुलिस यूनिफ़ॉर्म में क्यों नहीं गई ?
३- मेवात के… https://t.co/vwQvsIlCPC
Suresh Chavhanke also questioned the nationalist journalists for their silence over the arrest, asking what would have been their reaction if the arrest was made by a non-BJP govt. He also questioned where the journalist organisations and human rights groups are.
It is notable that earlier Sudarshan News had triggered a controversy by alleging that their resident editor Mukhesh Kumar was abducted in broad daylight from Gurugram. According to the tweet on their official Twitter page, “Kumar had reached Mewat to help Hindu activists who were struggling. He was dragged from the driving seat of the car by goons from Gurugram’s Sector 17.”
सुदर्शन न्यूज़ के रेज़ीडेंट एडिटर मुकेश कुमार का गुरुग्राम से दिन दहाड़े अपहरण हुआ है। वह मेवात में संघर्ष कर रहे हिंदू कार्यकर्ताओं को मदद करने पहुँचे थे। गुरुग्राम के सेक्टर 17 से हट्टे कट्टे गुंडे उनको कार के ड्राइविंग सीट से खींच कर उठा ले गए हैं। @mukeshkrd @mlkhattar pic.twitter.com/k8sCwIA6PV
— Sudarshan News (@SudarshanNewsTV) August 11, 2023
However later Suresh Chavhanke said that the journalist was picked by police in civilian clothes.
On 31st July, a Muslim mob in Nuh of Mewat, HaGururyana, attacked thousands of Hindu devotees attending the Jalabhishek Yatra on Shravan Somvar. Hindus were physically attacked by an Islamist mob killing at least six people, their shops and houses were vandalised in the pre-planned attack.
The police were also attacked by the mob injuring many cops and killing two Homeguards.
