 "Delhi Court orders FIR against Rana Ayyub for 'insulting' Hindu deities")
A Delhi court has directed the Delhi Police to file a First Information Report (FIR) against journalist Rana Ayyub following a complaint by a lawyer who accused her of spreading “anti-India sentiment” and insulting Hindu deities on social media, reported The Indian Express.
On Tuesday, the Delhi Police informed the court that an FIR had been registered under sections 153A (promoting enmity on grounds of religion), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts to outrage religious feelings), and 505 (statements leading to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Chief Judicial Magistrate Himanshu Raman Singh of Saket Court, in his order dated January 25, stated, “In view of the facts and circumstances, the complaint discloses commission of cognizable offences for which an FIR is warranted. The SHO of Cyber Police Station, South, is directed to convert the contents of the complaint into an FIR and investigate the matter fairly.”
He further said, “Considering the gravity of the allegations, the court is of the view that it is expedient to order an investigation in the present matter in exercise of judicial power under Section 156(3) CrPC. The facts pleaded by the complainant are such that they necessitate intervention by the state machinery in the form of police investigation.”
The complaint was filed by advocate Amita Sachdeva, who had also filed a previous case related to two artworks by MF Husain displayed at DAG art gallery. She sought an FIR against Ayyub for allegedly posting posts on X (formerly Twitter) that demeaning Hindu deities and figures. The posts, dating back to 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2022, allegedly insulted Hindu God Ram, glorified Ravana, and showed Sita and Draupadi in a disrespectful light. Additionally, Ayyub reportedly referred to freedom fighter Veer Savarkar as a “terrorist sympathiser”.
Sachdeva, represented by advocates Makrand Adkar, Yadavendra Saxena, and Vikram Kumar, initially filed a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal in November 2024. When the Delhi Police did not take action, she moved an application under Section 156(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, requesting a police investigation.