The West Bengal Police has arrested a social media influencer from Hooghly district on charges of endangering national sovereignty for allegedly mocking a traffic awareness message online, PTI reported on Friday.
Amit Nandi, who had written the post on the social media platform Facebook on January 27, was arrested on February 14 after a case was registered at the Kanthi police station in Purba Medinipur district by Sub Inspector Dilip Gupta, The Wire reported.
The first information report claimed that Nandi’s post, which has since been deleted, parodied the slogan “don’t drive after drinking alcohol” used by the police. The FIR described the post as a “distortion” of a public awareness message that the police had been uploading on its official page.
The FIR said that the post contained “wrong, unverified and baseless allegations”, adding that it intended to “lower the dignity and prestige of the police department, harm the reputation and public image of the police, [and] create mistrust and negative perception among the general public against the police administration”, The Wire reported.
Gupta further alleged that the post was a part of a “planned smear campaign” against the police.
“He distorted an official public-awareness post,” the online news portal quoted the sub inspector as saying. “Because he has many followers, the post was shared widely. Since this incident is defamatory to the police, a complaint has been filed against him.”
Nandi was booked under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertains to acts endangering India’s sovereignty, unity and integrity, PTI reported. The FIR against him also invokes sections pertaining to the dissemination of false information, criminal intimidation and defamation.
Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita criminalises a wide spectrum of expressive conduct, including those who “purposely or knowingly” use words to “excite or attempt to excite” secession, rebellion or subversive activities.
Critics have said that the provision effectively reintroduces the colonial-era sedition law.
Nandi’s arrest has drawn criticism from human rights groups, who argue that stringent legal provisions were being invoked to curb online dissent, PTI reported.
The Association for Protection of Democratic Rights said that his arrest fit into a broader pattern of policing that treated criticism as a law and order issue, The Wire reported.
“In all BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party]-ruled states, there is regular surveillance of social media to identify those opposing the government or leaders and to ensure they are punished,” the online news portal quoted Rajit Sur, a member of the non-profit organisation, as saying. “Strangely, the Trinamool [Congress] government has taken the same path.”
Nandi will be produced in court on Monday.
Just 0.2% of readers pay for news. The others don’t care if it dies. You can help make a difference. Support independent journalism – join Scroll now.
We’re not driven by clicks or corporate interests – just honest, independent reporting. Keep us going. Support Scroll today!