Punjab Police books Delhi BJP leader for sharing ‘doctored’ video of Kejriwal

“The complainant alleged that Jindal, on his Twitter handle, shared a cropped video from the original footage of an interview given by Arvind Kejriwal to a TV channel and doctored the original content. The complainant said that some words of the Delhi chief minister from the original interview have been dropped,” the SHO pointed out.

The video clip was posted on April 6 and was still available on Jindal;s Twitter handle at the time of filing this report.

According to the complainant, the “doctored” part of the video pertains to Kejriwal’s comment on providing clean and transparent governance.

The police official said that an FIR has been registered under sections 465 (punishment for forgery), 471 (using as genuine a forged a document or electronic record), 500 (punishment for defamation), 505 (1) (b) (with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 66 of the Information Technology Act.

“We will be sending a notice to Jindal. There is provision of arrest in this case,” the IO said.

In Delhi, Jindal said he had been “exposing” the Kejriwal government in national capital on various issues for the last two years. “I exposed many of their corrupt practices…Feeling frustrated, they are getting false cases registered with an aim to cause harassment. A number of times, even Kejriwal makes satire on BJP leaders, but we do not register a case against him. But ever since AAP has formed the government in Punjab, they think they can use Punjab Police against those who expose them,” Jindal said.

Asked if the video was doctored, he said the video carries a disclaimer that it is a “satire”. “On the basis of that video, they got a police case registered against me, but they cannot browbeat me and I will continue to expose them on various issues,” Jindal said.

A few days ago, the Punjab Police had booked Delhi BJP spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, who had been attacking Kejriwal over his remarks on the movie, ‘The Kashmir Files’. On March 17, a day after Bhagwant Mann was sworn in as chief minister, the police had booked an “unknown” user of a Twitter handle that had alleged the CM’s Office had removed a portrait of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The Twitter handle belonged to BJP leader from Maharashtra, Priti Gandhi. Both the FIRs were lodged on complaints of AAP workers.

Bagga was booked under Sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), 505 (2) (promoting enmity, hatred or ill will between classes) and Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC in an FIR registered at Cyber Crime Police Station in Mohali.

The FIR, registered on April 1, was based on a complaint by Punjab AAP spokesperson and Lok Sabha in-charge Dr Sunny Singh Ahluwalia, a resident of Mohali. It referred to Bagga’s remarks during the BJP youth wing’s protest outside the Delhi chief minister’s residence.

Reached for comments, Ahluwalia said, “According to my information, Bagga has approached court to quash the FIR against him”.

Priti Gandhi was booked under Sections 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) and 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) at Cyber Crime Police Station, Mohali, on the complaint of Prabhjot Kaur, general secretary of AAP’s Mohali district unit.

“Police don’t have Priti Gandhi’s address. So a notice has been sent to her on email,” said Prabhjot Kaur.