Delhi Police arrested social media influencer Amir Shokeen on Thursday, 22 October 2026, hours after a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against him at the Sadar Bazar police station over the alleged racial harassment and humiliation of an individual from Tripura, depicted in a video that has been widely circulating on social media, officials said. The case was registered under Sections 192, 196, 352, and 353 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

What the Video Showed and Shokeen's Response

The video, which reportedly surfaced on Instagram, allegedly depicts the individual from Tripura being subjected to humiliating treatment by the influencer. Following significant public backlash, Shokeen issued an apology and subsequently posted a statement on Facebook claiming the video was scripted and that the man featured in it was personally known to him.

According to Shokeen's Facebook post, the individual had previously worked at a friend's café in Ahmedabad, and the exchange was intended as a humorous, mutually understood joke. He maintained that he had no intention of insulting anyone from the Northeast. Critics, however, have rejected this explanation, arguing that the content normalises racial discrimination regardless of intent.

How the FIR Came About

The formal complaint that triggered the Delhi Police FIR was submitted by the Tripura Students Forum Delhi (TSF'D), which sought urgent police intervention. In its complaint, the forum described the circulating video as allegedly depicting 'sexual assault, harassment and humiliating treatment' of the individual from Tripura by a social media content creator.

The TSF'D stated that, if established through investigation, the allegations would raise serious concerns about the individual's dignity, bodily autonomy, and safety — as well as broader questions around the protection of people from the Northeast against racial discrimination. The complaint also drew the attention of Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who reportedly raised the issue on social media, amplifying pressure on authorities to act.

Tripura Police Had Already Filed a Separate Case

Prior to the Delhi Police arrest, the Tripura Police had independently lodged a case against Shokeen under relevant legal provisions in connection with the same controversy. The dual-jurisdiction response underscores the seriousness with which law enforcement agencies in both states are treating the matter.

Shokeen's Prior Legal Record

This is not the first time Shokeen has faced legal proceedings. Officials confirmed that previous cases have been registered against him under Sections 323, 324, 504, and 506 of the now-superseded Indian Penal Code (IPC) — provisions relating to voluntarily causing hurt, assault, intentional insult, and criminal intimidation. The pattern of prior FIRs is expected to weigh on bail proceedings.

Broader Context: Northeast Discrimination and Influencer Accountability

The arrest reflects growing scrutiny of social media content that targets individuals from India's Northeast on the basis of their ethnicity or appearance. Advocacy groups have long flagged that such content — often framed as comedy — contributes to a climate of normalised racial othering. This case is among the first to result in a swift arrest under the BNS framework, which replaced the IPC in 2024, and could set a precedent for how similar cases are handled going forward.

As investigations proceed in both Delhi and Tripura, the case is expected to draw fresh legislative attention to accountability standards for social media influencers in India.