Indore Police Lodge FIR After Priyanka Gandhi's Post on Social Media: Here's Why

Gandhi, in a post, had accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of engaging in corrupt activities.

(Photo: PTI)

A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged in Madhya Pradesh's Indore against individuals responsible for managing the social media accounts of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, former Chief Minister Kamal Nath, and former Union Minister Arun Yadav.

The reason? This legal action stems from a social media post that accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of engaging in corrupt activities.

This FIR follows a series of warnings issued by prominent leaders of the BJP in Madhya Pradesh. These warnings were prompted by a reportedly coordinated effort by Congress leaders who alleged a "50 percent commission government" against the incumbent BJP administration.

In detail: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on 11 August, posted on the platform X (formerly known as Twitter), asserting that a coalition of contractors from Madhya Pradesh had submitted a letter to the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

The letter alleged that these contractors were required to pay a 50 percent commission in order to receive payment for their work. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's post further claimed that the BJP government in Karnataka used to demand a 40 percent commission, and that the BJP in Madhya Pradesh had surpassed this level of corruption.

The FIR: The complaint was thus lodged by Nimesh Pathak, a member of the BJP's legal cell in Indore, under sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 469 (forgery for purpose of harming reputation)  of the Indian Penal Code.

The FIR specifically names "accused Gyanendra Awasthi and the handlers of Twitter accounts @MPArun Yadav, @OfficeOfKNath, and @priyankagandhi."

Pathak, in his complaint, mentioned that he came across a newspaper article that had been shared on social media by Congress party leaders. The article contained a letter purportedly written by a union of contractors to the Madhya Pradesh High Court, alleging that the state government was demanding a 50 percent commission for project approvals.

The police, according to The Indian Express, stated that this action was taken because the fake letter had been widely circulated on social media.

Meanwhile: Gandhi's husband Robert Vadra told news agency PTI that she should "be in Lok Sabha for sure."

"She should be in Lok Sabha for sure. She has all the qualifications for it. She would be very good in Parliament and she deserves to be there. I hope that the Congress party accepts and plans better for her," he told PTI.