Gurugram Police arrested Mukesh Kumar, a resident news editor at Sudarshan News, on Friday for spreading misleading information.
Table of Contents
Mukesh Kumar, a senior editor at Sudarshan News, was arrested by the Cyber Crime division of Gurugram Police. He has been arrested for alleged misleading and baseless information regarding the communal clashes at Nuh.
Sudarshan News had earlier reported that their editor had been kidnapped by goons. But after the Gurugram police released a statement, their claims took a 180-degree turn. The TV news channel is now calling it an attack on the freedom of media.
The police stated that Mukesh Kumar took to X (formerly known as Twitter) on 8th August and alleged that a foreign media house and news provider has been pressuring the Police Commissioner to take action against Hindu activists after the riots.
This provocative tweet booked Mukesh Kumar an FIR under IPC Sections 153 (B), 469, 401, and 505 (C) and Section 66 (C) of the IT Act.
Details of Nuh Violence
A violent clash erupted between Hindus and Muslims in Haryana’s Nuh, on 31st July. The clash ensued allegedly after a group of miscreants began pelting stones at a religious procession that was organized by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal. The clashes broke out when it was presumed that the people who threw stones were Muslims.
At least, six people were killed in the clashes. The internet was shut down. The aftermath of the violence touched the fringes of the national capital area as well. The tremors of the uproar were felt in Gurugram. It was mentioned by the local officers that a few viral social media posts were in the first place responsible for instigating the violence.
Also Read:
Also Read: Nuh Violence: Hotel used for Pelting Stones, Demolished
The Sudarshan News Editor was spreading ‘baseless’ and ‘misleading’ information.
The police have clarified in a statement released on Friday that the allegations made by Mukesh Kumar are false, misleading, and baseless. The information about the FIR and the relevant sections of the IT Act and IPC that he is being charged with were also mentioned in the same statement.
On 8th August, Mukesh Kumar tweeted apparently that Al Jazeera News had been making phone calls to the Commissioner of the Gurgaon Police and putting pressure on her to take steps against Hindus. He also added that after receiving those calls the DC of Gurgaon Police was so influenced that she started picking up ‘Hindu activists’ from everywhere.
Varun Dahiya, the ACP of Crime, Gurugram Police has informed that Mukesh Kumar has been arrested and taken for a medical examination.
Sudarshan News reported that Mukesh Kumar was abducted:
Sudarshan News had earlier alleged that their resident senior editor had been abducted by powerful goons. They released a news report that claimed Kumar to have been kidnapped from his car in Sector 17 of Gurugram. In their claims, Mukesh Kumar had gone to Mewat to help struggling Hindu activists.
But after the police release the statement of Kumar’s arrest there was a change in the information provided by the earlier news report. Sudarshan News began attacking the seven hours delay made by the police in releasing a statement.
Sudarshan News however has released a statement calling for the arrest of Kumar to be illegal. They claim to be on the side of Kumar. Their statement was released with the hashtag #ReleaseMukeshKumar.
This is not the first time that Sudarshan News is being accused of spreading communal hatred.
ACP Dahiya in his statement made on Friday clarified that the police had followed all legal procedures. They condemn the claims made by Sudarshan News.
