Himachal Police book unknown person for ‘baseless’ post about property of Priyanka Gandhi’s daughter

“The FIR was registered against an unknown individual. The tweet in question was posted from the account of one Anoop Verma, whose identity is yet to be established. We are seeking assistance from the Cyber Cell police, and the suspect will be apprehended shortly,” said Mamta Raghuvanshi, Station House Officer, East (Chhota Shimla) Police Station.

Sources said the First Information Report was filed following a complaint filed by Congress worker Pramod Gupta, a resident of Chhota Shimla. In his complaint, Gupta alleged the suspect’s post, made during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024, aimed to sow confusion and incite hatred towards the Congress party among the public, resulting in electoral losses.

Gupta asserted in his complaint the post was based on false information and tarnished the reputations of senior Congress leaders including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Gupta also noted that such deceitful and misleading posts by the individual have angered Congress workers and the general public in Himachal Pradesh.

The FIR was filed under sections 153 (provocation), 469 (forgery on electronic record tarnishing reputation of a party), 500 (defamation), and 505 (inciting community to commit an offence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The Lok Sabha elections for four seats, including Shimla (SC), Kangra, Mandi, and Hamirpur, along with by-elections for six Assembly constituencies, are scheduled for June 1. The results will be announced on June 4.