Indore police have filed an FIR against the “handlers” of the ‘X’ (previously Twitter) accounts of prominent Congress figures, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Kamal Nath (MP Congress chief), and former Union minister Arun Yadav. The FIR stems from a post on social media that alleges corruption within the Madhya Pradesh BJP government.
In a late Saturday statement on X, the Police Commissioner of Indore said that Nimesh Pathak, the legal cell convener for the local BJP, lodged a complaint. Pathak alleged the circulation of a counterfeit letter on social media, purportedly authored by Gyanendra Awasthi. The fabricated letter asserted that state contractors were being coerced to pay a commission of 50 per cent.
A case has been registered against Awasthi as well as “handlers” of the X accounts of the three Congress leaders at the city’s Sanyogitaganj police station.
Earlier on Saturday, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Ramsanehi Mishra claimed an FIR was registered against the X “handles” of Vadra, Nath and Arun Yadav at Sanyogitaganj police station in the city.
He said the case was registered under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (cheating) and 469 (forgery with intent to harm reputation) on Pathak’s complaint.
Pathak alleged that the Congress leaders conspired to malign the state government’s image and his party by sharing “misleading” social media posts and accusing the BJP regime in the state of being involved in corruption.
The official said the police are verifying the authenticity of the respective X handles.
On Friday, Priyanka claimed on X that a union of contractors from Madhya Pradesh has written a letter to the Chief Justice of the High Court complaining their payment is released only after paying 50 per cent commission.
“The corrupt BJP government in Karnataka used to collect 40% commission. In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP has gone ahead by breaking its own record of corruption. People of Karnataka ousted the 40% commission government, now the people of Madhya Pradesh will remove the 50% commission government from power,” she alleged in the post.
Nath and Yadav also made similar posts.
Terming Priyanka’s allegation as false, MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra had sought proof from the Congress leader to support her charge, warning that options were otherwise open before the state government and the BJP for legal action. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had said the opposition party was spreading lies.