Delhi Court rejects ATR giving clean chit to Manish Sisodia in Jamia fake news matter, asks police to file fresh report

Rejecting an Action Taken Report (ATR) that gave a clean chit to Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, a Delhi court on Monday directed the city police commissioner to file a fresh report on a plea seeking registration of an FIR against the AAP leader for allegedly spreading fake news on Twitter related to violence near Jamia Millia Islamia during anti-CAA protests.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vishal Pahuja directed the police chief to file the report by March 17 while rejecting an ATR filed by the investigating officer that stated "no cognizable offence is made out against Manish Sisodia from the contents of his tweet".

"Manish Sisodia only tweeted his opinion on video clip which was running on news channels," the ATR filed on Monday said.

"From the perusal of complaint, it is revealed that the tweets are mere allegation against police and no offence under section 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race etc.), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of IPC are made out.

"Sisodia only tweeted his opinion on video clip which was running on news channels and no cognizable offence is made out from the contents of tweet," the police said in its report.

During the hearing, complainant Alakh Alok Srivastav opposed the ATR filed by the police.

He had sought lodging of an FIR against Sisodia under IPC sections 153, 153-A, 504 and 505, claiming that the Aam Aadmi Party leader took to Twitter to spread fake news by accusing Delhi Police personnel of setting a DTC bus on fire during violence at Jamia Nagar on December 15 last year.

"In the month of December, after CAA was passed, there was violence and unrest in south Delhi. DTC buses were burnt down. There were pictures of some police officials pouring some liquid. Manish Sisodia, despite holding a responsible post, took to Twitter and without verifying it, accused Delhi Police personnel of setting the fire," the complaint said.

Several vehicles were torched in the violence after a demonstration against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) turned violent.