Journalist Pushp Sharma arrested over 'fake' RTI query

Pushp Sharma, the Milli Gazette journalist who reported that the AYUSH ministry was denying jobs to Muslims in a 'fake' RTI query was arrested by Delhi Police today.

Pushp Sharma is accused of fabricating an RTI reply in which the AYUSH Ministry allegedly says that it does not recruit Muslims for jobs.

Earlier, the AYUSH Ministry filed a formal complaint with the Delhi Police asking them to probe the alleged 'fake' RTI query, in which Sharma alleged that the Centre's discrimination against Muslims in the Yoga teachers' selection process for International Yoga Day is fabricated, adding that he has proof that all the RTI replies in his possession are authentic.

The Ministry has rejected a purported 'fabricated and mischievous' RTI reply which had claimed that the Centre does not recruit Muslims in the ministry as a policy.

The Ministry of AYUSH noted with anguish certain mischievous misinformation being spread in certain section of media and social media quoting a reply to an RTI by mentioning a fabricated draft as Annexure I to that letter, which has never been issued by the Ministry of AYUSH or any of its agencies.

"The Ministry strongly condemns this piece of misreporting, clearly aimed at causing chasm between different sections of society and promoting disharmony and mistrust with ulterior motives," the Ministry said in a statement.

The Ministry in a statement said, certain mischievous misinformation is being spread in certain section of media and social media quoting a reply to an RTI by mentioning a fabricated draft as Annexure I to that letter, which has never been issued by the Ministry of AYUSH or any of its agencies.

The Ministry said it was initiating proper action in this matter.