L-G gives nod for activist Shehla Rashid’s prosecution in case related to 2019 tweets

The proposal to this effect was moved by the Delhi Police and supported by the Home Department. Saxena has granted the prosecution sanction against Rashid, former JNUSU vice-president, under Section 196 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

In his complaint, Srivastava said, “On 18.08.2019, one Ms. Shehla Rashid, resident of Kashmir made following two tweets about the Indian Army:- “Armed Forces are entering houses at night, picking up boys, ransacking houses, deliberately spilling rations on floor, mixing oil with rice, etc” at 12.00 PM on 18.08.2019, and, “In Shopian, 04 men were called into the Army Camp and ‘interrogated’ (tortured). A mic was kept close to them so that the entire area could hear them scream and be terrorized. This created an environment of fear in the entire area,” at 12 pm on August 18, 2019.

Srivastava had, along with his complaint, also provided a rebuttal by the Indian Army through a media outlet on social media.

The Home Department, in its observations on the case, said, “The nature of the case, location to which the tweets refers and making false allegations against the Army makes it a serious issue. Not every tweet is to be proceeded with, under criminal law.”

“But the tweet of the kind, in this case, needs to be processed against Religious fault lines have been created in J&K by the likes of Ms. Shehla Rashid. The case is made for prosecution u/s 153A IPC. This relates to public order,” it also stated.