Karnataka: FIR against Sonia Gandhi over Congress' tweets on PM CARES Fund

An FIR has been filed against Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Karnataka over some tweets made from the party's official Twitter handle that were alleged to be "spreading rumours" and "misleading the public" with regard to the PM-CARES fund.

According to the complainant — identified as advocate K V Praveen from Sagar, Shivamogga — the Congress, in a series of tweets made from the handle @INCIndia on May 11 after 6 pm, made "baseless" and "false" allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government of India.

Speaking to indianexpress.com, Praveen said, "These messages tweeted from the official Twitter handle of the All India Congress Committee headed by Sonia Gandhi mentions the PM CARES as something that is not used for the welfare of the citizens of the country. Instead, it is used for his personal interests including foreign trips."

He added that while the entire nation is expected to provide moral support to the government and the Prime Minister in times of the COVID-19 pandemic, such messages aimed at creating nuisance among the public should not be made. "This made me file the complaint this morning," he said.

The FIR has been lodged at Sagar Town Police Station in Shivamogga on Thursday.

Confirming the same, the officer-in-charge at Sagar Town police station said, "On the basis of a complaint filed by Praveen K R at 10.30 am at the police station today, an FIR has been registered after a preliminary enquiry. Sonia Gandhi has been identified as the handler of the @INCIndia Twitter account and an FIR has been filed under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 505(1)(b) (intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public)."

The investigation was underway, the police added.

(Input and image from theindianexpress.com)