Tharoor, journalists move SC against quashing of FIRs for R-Day violence

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and many journalists, including Rajdeep Sardesai and Vinod K Jose, have moved the Supreme Court seeking quashing of FIRs registered against them for “misreporting” and “spreading disharmony” over Twitter and reports on the farmers’ protests, agencies reported.

Journalists Mrinal Pande, Zafar Agha, Paresh Nath and Anant Nath also approached the top court on Tuesday evening (February 2) against the FIRs.

On January 30, Delhi Police had filed a case against Tharoor, Sardesai, The Caravan and others.

Earlier, Tharoor and six journalists were booked by the Noida Police for sedition, among other charges, over the violence during the farmers’ tractor rally in Delhi, officials said.

The police in five states, including in Madhya Pradesh, have also filed a case against Tharoor and the six journalists over their alleged misleading tweets on the violence during the tractor parade in Delhi.

Also read: Red Fort should have reminded farmers violence destroys its practitioners

On Republic Day, thousands of protesting farmers had clashed with the police during the tractor rally called by farmer unions to highlight their demand for revocation of the Centre’s three farm laws.

Reports said several persons, including journalists, were booked for spreading news that a protestor was shot dead by Delhi Police during the tractor rally. However, the victim had died after his tractor had overturned. Many media outlets claimed that a bullet injury was seen on the head of the deceased.

The post mortem ruled out any bullet injuries to the victim, the police had said, and that the “accused” posted tweets that day and spread fake news about Singh’s death by calling it “killing”.

Also read: Don’t let Red Fort violence close doors on protesting farmers: Amarinder

Several charges were pressed against them under IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153 (provocation to cause riot), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) and 505-1b (intent to cause fear to the public).

Media reports have said Delhi Police has come out with a list of 120 people it has arrested so far for the Republic Day violence. The list contains the names of people arrested in FIRs registered at Mukherjee Nagar, Nangloi, Uttam Nagar, Najafgarh, Seemapuri, Baba Haridas Nagar, Paschim Vihar West, Ali Pur Outer north and Mundka Outer District. The police have registered 38 FIRs involving the violence.