Days after a police complaint was filed against Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami for creating communal hatred against Muslims, a similar complaint has been filed against News 18’s TV anchor Amish Devgan for spreading false news against Muslims on his show Aar Paar on May 1, 2020.
The Police complaint has been registered over his false claims of Muslims offering namaz in Kurla masjid during the lockdown. Devgan also showed a fake video claiming the gathering of people near Kurla Masjid, Newsd reported.
The complaint was filed by Shahzad Khan, the founding member of Public Care Foundation and President of All India Transport Congress (INTUC). In his complaint, Khan said that on May 1, Devgan’s show Aar Paar showed the fake news and claimed it that the Muslim community was offering prayers at the Kurla Masjid amid the lockdown.
“Iss samay ki bohot badi khabar, Kurla se tasveerein aa rahi hai waha par namaaz ke baad masjid mein logo ki jyada bheed thi toh police vahan par gayi hai, Police ke sath badsalukhi ki gayi hai (“There is big news coming from Kurla. A huge crowd has assembled from the mosque after namaz. The police was manhandled when they reached the area.), the news anchor claimed on his show.
According to fact-checking website AltNews, the scuffle involving the police took place on April, 29. The incident happened when one Rizwan Zuber Memon abused a team of police patrolling in Kurla Pipe Road. Soon a crowd gathered and Rizwan fled the scene. Later, an FIR was registered against him.
Neither the incident took place on a Friday, nor did it take place outside a masjid between the police and the worshippers, as claimed by Devgan and his channel.
The complainant Shahzad Khan said that Devgan targeted both the Mumbai Police and the Muslim community with fakes news and thus he has filed a complaint against him.
After his fakery was exposed, Devgan issued a 30-second apology for running a false report.
A 30 second apology (that 99% of their viewers will miss) for a propaganda they likely ran whole day on their channel.#अमीश_पर_FIR_करो pic.twitter.com/videB1569p
— Abjal Mahmud (@AbjalMahmud) May 6, 2020
