FIR lodged against Rahul Gandhi in Odisha for making 'anti-national' statement

The FIR was registered on Friday based on a complaint lodged by members of BJP, its youth wing, RSS, Bajrang Dal, of Jharsuguda district against Gandhi to IGP Northern Range, Himanshu Lal on February 5, a police officer said.

Bhubaneswar: An FIR has been registered against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Odisha's Jharsuguda district for allegedly making an "anti-national" statement, a senior police officer said on Saturday.

The FIR was registered on Friday based on a complaint lodged by members of BJP, its youth wing, RSS, Bajrang Dal, of Jharsuguda district against Gandhi to IGP Northern Range, Himanshu Lal on February 5, the officer said.

An FIR has been registered against Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, at Jharsuguda police station (case No 31) under section 152 (criminalizes acts that threaten India's sovereignty, unity, and integrity), 197(1) (d) (for making or publishing false or misleading information that threatens India's unity, sovereignty, integrity, or security) of BNS, the officer said.

The complaint alleged that Gandhi has been deliberately making anti-national statements which hurt each and every Indian individual.

The IGP forwarded the complaint to Jharsuguda SP Parmar Smit Parshottamdas for inquiry and necessary legal action.

As per the direction of the SP, an FIR has been registered against Gandhi at Jharsuguda police station (case No 31).

"I do not know the nature of the allegation against Rahul Gandhi, let me see it first. The Congress as a political party has been fighting against the ideology of BJP and RSS," former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Srikant Jena told PTI.