Social media influencer Ajeet Bharti booked for 'false' comments on Rahul Gandhi

Bengaluru: Bengaluru police have booked social media influencer Ajeet Bharti for "spreading enmity between religious groups through false claims."

The FIR was filed at the High Grounds police station based on a complaint by BK Bopanna, a lawyer and secretary of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee's legal cell.

Bopanna referred to a video in which Bharati claimed that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in his speeches, intended to restore the Babri Masjid in place of the Ram Mandir.

Bopanna's complaint mentioned a video shared by Bharati on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “In the video, Bharti lied that Rahul Gandhi, in his speeches, intended to bring back the Babri Masjid in place of the Ram Mandir. Rahul Gandhi hasn’t made any such statements in any of his speeches.”

Bopanna accused Bharti of spreading false information to "kindle enmity between different religious groups."

"Bharti’s statements clearly intend to stir public peace and provoke people. He is involved in destroying social peace by sowing seeds of conflict and hatred between religious groups,” Bopanna told the police.

Following his complaint, police filed an FIR under IPC sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth or residence) and 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes).

An officer overseeing the investigation told DH that they had launched a probe and would initiate action against Bharti after verifying the video and gathering other details.