Congress office in Turkey? FIR against BJP's Amit Malviya, journalist Arnab Goswami for 'false campaign'

The Congress on Tuesday filed an FIR against BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya and Republic TV editor-in-chief and journalist Arnab Goswami for allegedly spreading false information, police said.

The case, registered at High Grounds police station, was based on a complaint by Shrikant Swaroop B N, head of the Indian Youth Congress's legal cell.

The two have been booked under Sections 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Swaroop accused Malviya and Goswami of "masterminding a heinous and criminally motivated campaign to disseminate patently false information."

He said they "maliciously propagated the fabricated claim" that the Istanbul Congress Centre in Turkey is the office of the Indian National Congress (INS).

Earlier on Tuesday, Malviya posted an image comparing Rahul Gandhi to Pakistan's military leadership Asim Munir, accusing him of undermining India’s military and echoing Pakistan’s stance on Operation Sindoor.

"This act was executed with clear and undeniable criminal intent to deceive the Indian public, defame a major political institution, manipulate nationalist sentiments, incite public unrest, and undermine national security and democratic integrity," Swaroop said.

“The actions of Malviya and Goswami represent an unprecedented attack on India's democratic foundations, public safety, and national security. Their calculated misuse of influence to spread falsehoods with criminal intent demands the harshest response,” the complaint alleged.

Swaroop also urged the Press Council of India, ministry of information and broadcasting, CBI, and other agencies to treat the complaint as an emergency.

The incident comes amid strained India-Turkey ties, worsened by Turkey’s perceived support for Pakistan amid conflict with India.