Uttar Pradesh police has booked journalist and Millat Times editor Shams Tabrez Qasmi for posting visuals of Kanpur violence on Twitter.
The sections invoked against Qasmi are 505 and 507 of IPC and 66 of IT Act accusing him of spreading provocative and fake news.
The city witnessed violence on Friday after a Hindu mob attacked a protest led by Muslims against the derogatory comments of BJP leader Nupur Sharma on the prophet Muhammed.
On Friday, a Muslim organisation called to shut down shops at the Parade Market – one of the biggest wholesale markets in the city – over the comments made by Sharma about Prophet Mohammed in a televised debate. The clashes began when the Hindu groups started hurling stones at protesting Muslims. Videos showed the Hindu mob attacking Muslims in the presence of cops.
While speaking to Maktoob over phone, Qasmi condemned the filing of the first information report (FIR), describing it as an effort to intimidate the press.
Following Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued directives to UP Director general of police (DGP) to invoke Gangster Act and National Security Act (NSA) against the “trouble makers,” at least 36 Muslims were booked under the draconian NSA in Kanpur.
The Muslim groups and rights activists called the police action “discriminatory.”
