A Delhi court directed the police to register a First Information Report (FIR) against journalist Rana Ayyub following a complaint accusing her of insulting Hindu deities and spreading “anti-India sentiment” through her posts on X.

The court’s order came in response to a petition filed by advocate Amita Sachdeva, who alleged that Ayyub’s tweets, some dating back to 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2022, contained content that demeaned Hindu figures such as Lord Ram and glorified Ravana. The posts allegedly also disrespectfully depicted Sita and Draupadi and referred to freedom fighter Veer Savarkar as a “terrorist sympathizer.”

Sachdeva initially lodged a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal in November last year. However, when the Delhi Police did not take action, she approached the Saket Court under Section 156(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which allows a magistrate to order an investigation if the police fail to act on a complaint.

On January 25, Chief Judicial Magistrate Himanshu Raman Singh ruled that the allegations in the complaint disclosed cognizable offenses and required police intervention. The court stated:

In view of the facts and circumstances, the complaint discloses commission of cognizable offences for which an FIR is warranted. Present application under Section 156(3) CrPC is allowed. SHO of Cyber police station (South) is directed to convert the contents of the complaint as FIR and investigate the matter fairly,

The FIR has been registered under sections 153A for promoting enmity on grounds of religion, 295A for the deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, and 505 regarding statements conducing to public mischief, under the Indian Penal Code. The court further noted that given the “gravity of the allegations,” it was expedient to initiate an investigation to ensure a fair inquiry into the matter.

Reacting to the development, Ayyub told Indian Express:

I have learned from media reports that an order has been passed for registration of FIR on a complaint about some tweets that are over 10-12 years old. The police have not contacted me, but I will provide all information if they do. I am certain that my tweets do not violate any legal provision.

The matter has been scheduled for a compliance report in the coming days.