FIR sought against Sanjay Raut for post on Albania SC burning incident

Advocate Vineet Jindal has filed a complaint with Delhi Police against Sanjay Raut over a social media post. The post, referencing the burning of Albania's Supreme Court, stated that countries like India should learn a lesson from the incident.

Advocate Vineet Jindal has filed a complaint with the Delhi Police seeking registration of an FIR against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut over the latter's social media post referring to the burning of Albania’s Supreme Court and stating that countries, particularly India, should learn a lesson from the incident.

In his complaint dated October 21, addressed to the Delhi Police Commissioner, Jindal has requested an investigation into the post and sought action under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act, 2000. The complaint alleges that the post, published on Raut’s account on X, could be interpreted as encouraging violence against constitutional institutions in India. However, the allegations are yet to be examined by the police, and no finding of criminal wrongdoing has been established.

Details of the Controversial Post

According to the complaint, the post contains a video depicting fire and destruction and an English translation of the Marathi text describing how people in Albania allegedly set fire to the country’s Supreme Court over claims that it was helping corrupt prime ministers. It also refers to attacks on Parliament, government offices and ministers’ residences. The post concludes by stating that all countries should learn a lesson from these events, followed by the word “Especially” and the Indian national flag.

Legal Action and Evidence Preservation Sought

Jindal has argued that the statement should be examined in its entirety, including the accompanying video and the reference to India, to determine whether it attracts any criminal provisions. He has sought action under Sections 353(1)(b), 152, 196 and 197 of the BNS, besides relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act. The complainant has also requested the police to preserve the original post, its URL, the accompanying video, the original Marathi text, the English translation and other electronic records for examination. The complaint cites a screenshot showing approximately 1.3 million views, 12,000 likes, 4,400 reposts and 6,300 replies at the time it was captured. These figures have been reproduced as stated in the complaint and may have changed since then.

Complaint References Separate Supreme Court Notice

Jindal has further referred to reported Supreme Court proceedings in which a show-cause notice was issued to Raut on October 16 over separate remarks concerning the Chief Justice of India and the judiciary. The complaint acknowledges that the earlier proceedings and the present allegations concern distinct issues.

Seeking appropriate action in accordance with law, the advocate has urged the police to examine the publication and determine whether the material discloses a cognisable offence warranting registration of an FIR. The complaint is a request for police action and contains allegations that remain to be investigated. It does not, by itself, establish that the post constitutes a criminal offence or that an FIR has been registered. (ANI)

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