Congress Files FIR Against Bangladeshi Journalist, Jaipur Dialogues for Fake News On Rahul, Sonia

Bengaluru: A case has been registered against two individuals, including a Bangladeshi journalist, on the charge of spreading fake news on social media about senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The complaint, filed by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) legal unit, led to the registration of an FIR at High Grounds Police Station in Bengaluru.

The FIR names Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, a Bangladeshi journalist and editor of the newspaper Blitz and Aditi Ghosh, affiliated with the Jaipur Dialogues portal. The complaint was initiated by G Srinivas, prompting the legal action against the duo.

According to the complaint, Choudhury posted inflammatory content on his X account, alleging that Sonia Gandhi was an agent of Pakistan’s ISI and making derogatory claims about her religious identity and marital status. He also purportedly claimed that Rahul Gandhi, along with a foreign associate, had sexually assaulted a woman.

Aditi Ghosh is accused of amplifying Choudhury’s post through her X account, which allegedly contributed to its wider dissemination.

The FIR has been filed under sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups) and 353 (2) (publishing or circulating false information to create hatred) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The Congress party's action underscores its commitment to countering misinformation and protecting the reputation of its leaders.

"Based on the complaint we received, we have filed an FIR against the two for allegedly spreading misinformation about the Gandhi family. Case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and 353 (2) (publishing or circulating false information to create hatred on the basis of religion etc)," a senior police officer said.

An investigation is underway, and further action will be determined based on the findings.