NEW DELHI — A complaint has been filed against Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge, accusing him of “circulating fake news and misleading information” and “attempting to disturb social harmony”, police said on Wednesday.
TTejas A Gowda filed the complaint at Banashankari police station on Tuesday, seeking registration of an FIR against Kharge for allegedly attempting to link the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to the recent seizure of live cartridges through a social media post on ‘X’.
In the complaint, he alleged that Kharge’s social media post attempted to associate the RSS with the seizure of approximately 44,250 live cartridges in Bihar and Haryana, reported PTI.
“Through his statements and insinuations, he has sought to create an impression that the RSS organisation is connected with the alleged criminal activities,” Gowda alleged.
The complainant however, has not specified whether he is associated with the organisation.
Though the complaint was submitted, no FIR has been registered in this regard yet, police said.
The complainant further alleged that the Home Minister knowingly circulated the information despite knowing it to be false, and that such conduct warranted a criminal investigation as it could disturb communal harmony in the state by spreading fake news.
“It is a matter of serious concern that a person occupying the constitutional office of Home Minister, who is entrusted with maintaining law and order and protecting public peace, is circulating false information against an organisation,” the complainant alleged.
He urged the police to register an FIR against Kharge under the applicable provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, citing Sections 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause a riot), 196 (promoting enmity between different groups) and 353 (statements conducing to public mischief), if the information and accompanying evidence disclosed cognisable offences.
The complainant further urged the investigators to conduct a fair and independent probe without political interference.
He also requested the investigating officers to secure the electronic records of the social media posts, coordinate with police authorities in Bihar and Haryana to obtain details of the cases, and verify whether false information was knowingly disseminated. — With inputs from PTI
