Delhi Police Files FIR Over Alleged Death Threats Against Nupur Sharma

Sharma was suspended from the BJP after she made derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad on prime-time TV.

Nupur Sharma.

(Photo: Facebook/Nupur Sharma)

The Delhi Police on Monday, 6 June, filed a First Information Report (FIR) on the basis of a complaint by suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma, claiming that she received death threats over her remarks against Prophet Muhammad.

"Based on the FIR, we have initiated a probe into the matter," a senior police official said.

The FIR was lodged under Sections 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 506 (criminal intimidation), 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication), and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) against unknown persons under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The police said on 28 May that Sharma had filed a complaint at the cyber cell unit against persons who had allegedly issued death threats against her.

"During investigation, another complaint by Sharma was received against certain persons regarding promoting enmity. After examining the complaint, Section 153A of IPC was added to this case. Notices have been sent to Twitter Inc. and a reply from it is awaited. Investigation of the case is in progress," the police official added.

Background

Sharma had made controversial remarks against Prophet Muhammad on prime-time TV. Following her comments, she had put out a tweet saying that she had been receiving "continuous death and beheading threats."

Sharma was also charged under sections 295A (acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), and 505B IPC (inducing to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquility) after a complaint was filed by Raza Academy, an organisation of Indian Sunni Muslims.

The BJP had on 5 June suspended Sharma and expelled Naveen Jindal from the party's primary membership over her derogatory comments.

Six Islamic nations, as well as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) which consists of 56 member states, had also censured the BJP over Sharma's remarks.

Meanwhile, Indian ambassadors to Iran, Kuwait, and Qatar were summoned by the foreign ministries of the respective countries to convey their positions on the matter.

(With inputs from PTI.)