Delhi court orders FIR against journalist Rana Ayyub for 'insulting' Hindu deities

Journalist Rana Ayyub has been booked over tweets dating back to 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2022. (File Photo)

A Delhi court has ordered the Delhi Police to register an FIR against journalist Rana Ayyub on charges that she allegedly spread "anti-India sentiment" and "insulted" Hindu deities on social media.

In an order dated January 25, Chief Judicial Magistrate Himanshu Raman Singh of the Saket court said: "In view of the facts and circumstances, the complaint discloses commission of cognizable offences for which an FIR is warranted. Present application under Section 156(3) Cr.P.C is allowed. SHO Cyber Police Station, South is directed convert the contents of complaint as FIR and investigate the matter fairly."

In its response on Tuesday, the Delhi Police informed the court that an FIR has been lodged against Rana Ayyub under IPC sections 153A (Promoting enmity on grounds of religion), 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class) and 505 (Statements conducing public mischief).

The case stems from a complaint filed by advocate Amita Sahdeva, who also happens to be the complainant in a recent matter pertaining to two paintings by MF Hussain, moved the court requesting an FIR against Ayyub under sections 153A (Promoting enmity on grounds of religion), 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class) and 505 (Statements conducing public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Sachdeva's lawyers submitted a series of posts by Ayyub on X dating back to 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2022. The complainant alleged that she had "demeaned" Hindu God Ram, and "glorified" Ravana, showed Sita and Draupadi in a "disrespectful light" and referred to "Veer Savarkar, an esteemed freedom fighter, as a terrorist sympathiser."

Sachdeva had first filed a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal in November, seeking criminal action against Ayyub. After no complaint was filed by the Delhi Police, she moved an application under Section 156(3) (power of Magistrate to order a Police investigation) of the Code of Criminal Procedure requesting an FIR.