Nagpur Unrest: Sedition Charges Filed Against Fahim Khan and Five Others
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Synopsis
The Nagpur Police have charged Fahim Khan, the alleged instigator of the March 17 violence, with sedition, along with five others. The investigation involves over 300 social media accounts linked to the unrest, with a focus on objectionable content and potential foreign connections.
Key Takeaways
- Sedition charges filed against Fahim Khan and five others.
- Over 300 social media accounts investigated.
- 140 accounts contained objectionable posts.
- Ongoing investigations into foreign connections.
- Four FIRs filed with more expected.
Nagpur, March 20 (NationPress) The Nagpur Police have initiated a sedition case against Fahim Khan, identified as the orchestrator of the violence on March 17, along with five accomplices. Khan has already been apprehended, and the court has placed him in judicial custody until March 20. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Nagpur Cyber Crime, Lohit Matani, stated, "A sedition case has been filed against six individuals, including Fahim Khan. Several individuals showed support for the violence against the police and commended it. The number of accused may rise. Some comments made in support of this assault contributed to the escalation of the riots. Those who made such remarks have been charged with sedition."
The DCP further mentioned that over 300 social media accounts have been scrutinized concerning the riots in Nagpur. Among these, 140 accounts were found to contain objectionable posts and videos. The process to file cases against these accounts is currently ongoing.
He also noted that the objectionable content originated from an account outside Nagpur. "Support for the riots was expressed through several posts. This account is under investigation, and we are also checking if it is linked to foreign entities. Additionally, the social media account of the primary suspect, Fahim Khan, has been examined, revealing objectionable content, prompting the cyber department to register a case in this context," he elaborated.
Moreover, he indicated that the police are looking into a potential Bangladesh connection regarding the Nagpur violence. "Just because someone mentioned 'Bangladesh' in a post does not imply a direct link; a comprehensive investigation is necessary," he commented.
So far, four FIRs have been filed concerning the Nagpur riots case, comprising over 50 allegations, with additional FIRs expected to follow.
Previously, the office of the Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra State Cyber Department, released a statement on Wednesday night, revealing that more than 140 instances of objectionable content across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube have been identified and reported. In response, notices under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 have been issued for the immediate removal of such content. Additionally, notices under Section 94 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 have been dispatched to uncover the true identities of the individuals behind these accounts.
Strict legal action will be pursued against those found responsible for disseminating such inflammatory content, he asserted.
