Delhi Police sought in a court here on Tuesday dismissal of a plea seeking registration of an FIR against Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia for allegedly spreading fake news on Twitter related to violence near Jamia Millia Islamia during anti-CAA protests, saying a similar matter was pending before the High Court here.
The submissions were made in a fresh status report filed before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vishal Pahuja who had earlier rejected the clean chit given to the AAP leader by the police.
As a plea seeking registration of FIRs against various political leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi for allegedly making hate speeches is pending before the Delhi High Court, the present application should be dismissed by the trial court, the police said.
The magistrate court had last month directed the police chief to file a fresh status report while rejecting an ATR filed by the investigating officer that stated "no cognizable offence is made out against Manish Sisodia from the contents of his tweet".
"Manish Sisodia only tweeted his opinion on video clip which was running on news channels," the ATR had said.
"From the perusal of complaint, it is revealed that the tweets are mere allegation against police and no offence under section 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race etc.), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of IPC are made out.
"Sisodia only tweeted his opinion on video clip which was running on news channels and no cognizable offence is made out from the contents of tweet," the police said in its report.
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Complainant Alakh Alok Srivastav had sought lodging of an FIR against Sisodia under IPC sections 153, 153-A, 504 and 505, claiming that the Aam Aadmi Party leader took to Twitter to spread fake news by accusing Delhi Police personnel of setting a DTC bus on fire during violence at Jamia Nagar on December 15 last year.
"In the month of December, after CAA was passed, there was violence and unrest in south Delhi. DTC buses were burnt down. There were pictures of some police officials pouring some liquid. Manish Sisodia, despite holding a responsible post, took to Twitter and without verifying it, accused Delhi Police personnel of setting the fire," the complaint has said.
Several vehicles were torched in the violence after a demonstration against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) turned violent.