In the latest updates, the Uttar Pradesh government has launched a major crackdown over social media. So far, FIR against eight Twitteratis has been lodged.
UP Police Books Barkha Dutt
As per the latest updates in the Unnao Rape Case, the Uttar Pradesh police has booked eight twitter accounts and their users. The accounts are booked on the charges of spreading across “misleading information” regarding the recovery of minor girls’s bodies in Baburha village.
The Twitter handles include that of the @mojostory by journalist Barkha Dutt, @bhimsenachief, @nilimdutta, @janjagranlive, @abhaykumarazad97, @surajkrbaudh, @vijayambedkarup and @rahuldiwkr.
Last week, former Member of Parliament and Congress Leader, Udit Raj has also been booked by the Uttar Pradesh Police for reportedly spreading misinformation via Twitter. The police claims that the booked Twitter users had allegedly said that the bodies of the two minor girls were found in the fields. The tweet further claimed that they were sexually assaulted and their last rites were performed against their family’s wishes.
Twitter users have been charged with “spreading rumors with the intention of causing riots” and some sections under the Information Technology Act. Superintendent of Police, Anand Kulkarni had said that everyone who have tried to disrupt harmony via social media will not be let go easily. He said that they have lodged an FIR against them and will conduct investigations further.
The SP further said that some of the Tweets have been removed after the police issued a statement. The statement claimed that the post mortem reports did not confirm rape. He further said that the injuries on the bodies of the minor girls is because of the vested interests of the parties involved.
Kulkarni further clarified that police or the administration did not try to conduct any last rites without the family’s consent. He said that the family had some of their relatives coming from Surat who were the ones to conduct the last rites for the girls.
After the FIR was lodged, @themojostory by the Journalist Barkha Dutt released a statement. The statement said that their investigations included everything regarding the case. It included the anxieties that the family suffered along with the allegations and police response. The statement further said that they are willing to defend their journalistic rights and freedom in the court of law.
Unnao Case In Brief
The Unnao Rape Case is in reference to the gang rape case of a 17-year-old gil on June 4, 2019. The incident took place in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh. On December 16, 2019, Kuldeep Singh Sengar, former BJP member was booked on the charges of rape and was sentenced to life imprisonment.
So far, two chargesheets have been filed in the case. The first charge sheet was filed by the Chief Bureau of Investigation in the year 2018 when they had accused Sengar of rape. The second was filed against Sengar along with his brother and three other police men and other people for framing the father of the girl as the accused. The father of the girl died in judicial custody.
