An advocate from Karnataka”s Shivamogga district has lodged a complaint with the police against Congress chief Sonia Gandhi based on a tweet by the party”s twitter handle alleging not proper use of the Prime Minister Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency (PM-CARES) Fund, according to an official here on Thursday.
“An FIR has been registered against Gandhi under IPC Section 153 and 505(1)(B). We are investigating the complaint,” a police officer told IANS. The FIR was registered at 10.30 a.m on Wednesday on the compalaints of K.V. Praveen from Sagara town of Shivamogga.
According to the official, Praveen complained that the tweets cast aspersions on use of the PM-CARES Fund. Praveen also submitted hardcopies of tweets with the compliant.
“If the PM-CARES Fund is not being used for transport of migrants, repatriation of Indians from abroad or providing a financial stimulus, what is it being used for,” read one of the tweets.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief D.K. Shivakumar in a letter to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa demanded withdrawal of the FIR. “We hereby demand your goodself to withdraw the said FIR (on Gandhi),” said Shivakumar.
Claining that Praveen is a BJP activist, he said, “The complainant has filed it with a political motive on false information stating Gandhi tweeted that the Prime Minister has been misusing the PM-CARES fund.”.
Agreeing that Gandhi had indeed tweeted in the capacity of MP and the chief of a political party, Shivakumar said her intention was to force Modi use the PM-CARES Fund for welfare of the people.
“Unfortunately, it was misinterpreted by the BJP leadership. It instigated Praveen to file the complaint against Gandhi, based on false information without examining its truthfulness,” he said.
According to Shivakumar, Sagar police officials have misused the process of law by registering an FIR and have snubbed her right to do healthy criticism.
“Suspend the said police officer immediately. We also urge you to register and FIR against the officer for misusing the process of law in the interest of justice and equity,” he demanded.
