FIR Against Twitter, Journalists And Congress Leaders For Tweets About Assault On Muslim Man In Ghaziabad

Ghaziabad Police have registered a case against Twitter, Congress leaders Dr. Shama Mohammed, Salman Nizami, and Maskoor Usmani, journalists Mohammed Zubair and Rana Ayyub, writer Saba Naqvi and media outlet The Wire over their tweets concerning the brutal assault of a 72-year-old Muslim man in Uttar Pradesh.

The tweets of the accused contained details of the brutal assault from a video testimony of the assault victim Abdul Samad. Samad had narrated that he was offered an auto ride, after which a group of men took him to an isolated spot and beat him up, forcing him to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’. 

In the video of the incident, a group of men can be seen brutally thrashing the 72-year-old. It also showed them forcefully cut his beard using a scissor. 

Claiming that the tweets were an “attempt to destroy communal harmony”, the FIR states that “the tweets by the accused had been broadcast on a large scale. The tweets by the accused hint at a criminal conspiracy.” The FIR said the tweets were “false” and retweeted by thousands of users.” 

They have been charged under IPC sections 153 (provocation for rioting), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 295A (acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 505 (mischief), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and 34 (common intention) against them.

The police have denied Samad’s version and ruled out any ‘anti-Muslim’ angle. According to them, he was beaten up because he had sold them a “taweez (amulet)” that the assaulters believed, did not work.

Three people have so far been arrested for the assault- Parvesh Gujjar, Kallu and Aadil. Three others Aarif, Mushahid and Poli were also named in the FIR.

However, according to reports, Aadil’s brother denied Aadil’s involvement, saying he and his friends rushed to the location to rescue the Abdul Samad from the assailants.