Case filed against Sonia Gandhi for Congress tweet on PM-CARES Fund

An FIR has been registered against Congress President Sonia Gandhi in Karnataka in connection with a tweet posted by the party’s official Twitter handle alleging misuse of PM-CARES Fund, police said.

The Sagara town police in Shivamogga district registered the case on Wednesday (May 20) based on a complaint by Praveen K V, who alleged that @INCIndia, the official Twitter handle of the Congress, tried to create distrust among masses with its tweet by spreading baseless charges.

The state Congress condemned the registration of the case.

The case has been registered under Sections 153 and 505 (1)(B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which relate to wantonly provoking people and inciting them to commit offence against any other class or community.

The complaint identifies Gandhi as one of the handlers of that account.

The complainant alleged that on May 11 at 6 pm, the INC India Twitter account posted messages against Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging misuse of PM-CARES Fund set up to enable people contribute to help the government fight against COVID-19 and “similar distressing situations.”

If the PM CARES fund is not being used for transport of migrants, repatriation of Indians from abroad or providing a financial stimulus, what is it being used for?#PMCareFraud pic.twitter.com/ZPrMdEyWbB

— Congress (@INCIndia) May 11, 2020

He sought legal action against Sonia Gandhi and Congress workers involved in handling the Twitter account.

“A Twitter account handled by All India Congress Committee headed by Sonia Gandhi had on May 11, 2020, published tweets terming PM CARES Fund as PM CARES Fraud. They had claimed that the PM CARES fund is not being used for the public,” ANI quoted Praveen KV as saying on Thursday (May 21).

“They had also said that the Prime Minister was enjoying and going to foreign trips with this fund. This is clearly a rumour against the Government of India in this COVID-19 pandemic situation. In this regard, I had filed a complaint. After a primary enquiry, the Sagar Police has filed an FIR against Sonia Gandhi, who heads the INC Twitter account,” Praveen added.

They called PMCARES fund a fraud. They said on their twitter that it is not being used for public & that PM is going on foreign trips using this fund. These are rumours against govt in #COVID19 situation, so I filed a complaint (against Sonia Gandhi): KV Praveen Kumar, Advocate https://t.co/ZmmYpRsENI pic.twitter.com/bzo2WkvuYx

— ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2020

Meanwhile, Karnataka Congress spokesperson Subhash Agarwal condemned the registration of the case and said, “It is the role and responsibility of the opposition to question the government. Democracy will die if the opposition’s voice is muzzled.”

He also said the party had always maintained that there was no need for the PM-CARES Fund when the PM Relief Fund already existed.

(With inputs from agencies)