An FIR has been registered against BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya and Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami for allegedly spreading false information with malicious intent, police officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The case was filed at the High Grounds Police Station based on a formal complaint lodged by Shrikant Swaroop B N, the head of the legal cell of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC).
The FIR invokes Sections 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 352 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Swaroop alleged that Malviya and Goswami orchestrated a “criminally motivated campaign” to deliberately mislead the Indian public by falsely claiming that the Istanbul Congress Centre in Turkiye is the overseas office of the Indian National Congress (INC).
Describing the act as a “heinous attempt to provoke unrest and manipulate nationalist sentiments,” Swaroop asserted that the misinformation campaign was aimed at damaging the credibility of a major political institution and undermining India’s democratic and national security interests.
“The accused maliciously propagated this fabricated claim with the intent to deceive, defame, and disrupt the social and political fabric of the country,” Swaroop wrote in his complaint.
He also noted the sensitive geopolitical context, referring to the strained diplomatic ties between India and Turkiye, citing Turkey’s perceived pro-Pakistan stance as a complicating factor that could amplify public backlash and instability.
“This represents an unprecedented attack on the foundations of our democracy, our national security, and the integrity of public discourse,” Swaroop said, calling for immediate and stringent action.
In addition to the FIR, the IYC legal head has appealed to the Press Council of India, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and other relevant agencies to treat the complaint as a matter of national urgency.
As of now, neither Malviya nor Goswami have officially responded to the allegations.
