India Today consulting editor Rajdeep Sardesai has filed a complaint on 5 February against Delhi-based advocate Prashant P Umrao for posting and attributing ‘fake tweets’ to his name that are likely to trigger violence.
The veteran journalist tweeted, “Have filed criminal complaint against the twitter handle @ippatel for putting out blatantly fake inciting tweets. Let us see what action @Uppolice and @DelhiPolice now take. Complaint attached.”
In his complaint addressed to the SSP of Noida, Love Kumar, Sardesai pointed to Prashant P Umrao’s tweet which quoting him as saying “Ek Hazaar Hinduon Ka Katl Karo.” This is a totally false statement which “can be only used to incite violence,” he added.
In addition, he said that the advocate’s tweet is “a clear design to create mischief” and actions must be taken against the user.
Sardesai further stated in his letter that he is open to cooperating in any investigation.
I am a public figure, who anchors a prime time show on India Today TV and such a false tweet opens me and my family to harm and can only incite communities.Rajdeep Sardesai
The advocate had become famous for petitioning to the Election Commission against alleged office of profit held by 21 AAP MLAs in 2015.
The 31-year-old sent a 100-page report to the Election Commission and the then President Pranab Mukherjee in 2015 stating that 21 MLAs of the AAP should be disqualified as legislators as they held offices of profit as ‘parliamentary secretaries’.
The President forwarded the report to the EC which issued notices to all 21 MLAs in 2016. His wait ended after the Election Commission of India recommended the disqualifications of 20 AAP MLAs in office of profit case last month.
However, Patel has often come under fire due to his social media habits when reports of him extensively trolling people, especially women like Chandigarh stalking victim Varnika Kundu, came to the fore. He has also made inflammatory remarks on Twitter.
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