Delhi Police book human rights activist Nadeem Khan for ‘promoting enmity, criminal conspiracy’

As per the contents of the FIR, a sub-inspector (SI) was on patrol duty when he was informed by “secret sources” that a video had been uploaded on social media that was causing great anger among local people and could lead to violence.

The SI, who filed the complaint in the case, found that the video had gone viral. According to the FIR, it was found that the video was posted on YouTube on November 21 by a channel named ‘Akram official 50’ under the title ‘Records of Hindustan in Modi Sarkar’.

The 2.50-minute-long video, the FIR said, showed a person who had set up a stall at an exhibition and standing in front of multiple display boards. He was gesturing towards a banner and talking about ‘Nadeem, Akhlaq, Rohit Vemula, Pehlu Khan’, and the 2020 CAA/NRC protests in Shaheen Bagh and the Delhi riots, portraying a particular community as victims and inciting people, the FIR stated.

“The video also shows photographs of some politicians and media personalities… on multiple display boards, whom the person accuses of spreading hatred. After this, the person mentions incidents from different parts of the country, portraying a particular community as victims and trying to disrupt communal harmony in the country,” the FIR stated.

After checking social media platforms, it was found that the video was uploaded by another person on X. On analysing this video, police said it was found that the display stall was set up by APCR.

Upon inquiring about APCR, police said its registered office is in Abul Fazal Enclave 1, Jamia Nagar, and the person speaking in the video is Khan. “Khan has spoken in the video (despite knowing) this is a sensitive issue and that organising an exhibition on a public platform, creating a museum… putting up photos of well-known public personalities, making allegations, and portraying a particular community as oppressed can incite people and promote separatist activities,” the FIR stated.

A case under sections 196, 353(2) and 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has been registered and investigation is underway, said police.

In a statement, the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) said it was shocked at how the Delhi Police is conducting a targeted witch-hunt of Khan at the instigation of a few social media accounts on Twitter.

“On Saturday, around 5 pm, four personnel, including the SHO of Shaheen Bagh Police Station in Delhi, came to the private residence in Bengaluru where Khan was staying and attempted to detain him without any warrant or notice. From 5 pm till 9 pm, they sat in the hall of the first floor of the house and coerced Nadeem to come to Delhi ‘voluntarily’ with them under ‘informal custody’,” PUCL alleged in a statement.

The Delhi Police did not respond to these allegations.