New Delhi: The Congress has filed an FIR against BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya and Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami for allegedly spreading false information.
The FIR was registered at Bengaluru’s High Grounds police station on Tuesday, based on a complaint by Shrikant Swaroop B N, head of legal cell, Indian Youth Congress.
Malviya and Goswami have been accused of spreading malicious disinformation about the party having an office in Turkey and defaming the “constitutional office of the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi”.
Alleging that Malviya and Goswami masterminded a “heinous and criminally motivated campaign to disseminate patently false information,” Swaroop said they “maliciously propagated the fabricated claim” that the Istanbul Congress Centre in Turkey is the office of the Indian National Congress.
“This malicious attempt to malign @INC, provoke unrest, and undermine national security is a direct attack on democracy. We will not stay silent. Let this be a clear message: Any attempt to spread fake news against our party or its leadership will be met with firm legal and political response,” he added.
Under the direction of @IYC In-charge Shri @Allavaru Ji, National President @UdayBhanuIYC Ji, and Our Chairman @RoopeshINC Ji, an FIR has been registered under non-bailable sections against @amitmalviya and Arnab Goswami Editor-in-Chief, @republic for defaming the constitutional… pic.twitter.com/nlTxoPO8RD
— IYC Legal Cell (@IYCLegalCell) May 20, 2025
Malviya and Goswami have been booked under Sections 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Republic TV has been running a campaign against Congress as to why the party has an office in Turkey, when it openly supported Pakistan and criticised India during the recent conflict between the neighbours post Operation Sindoor.
Malviya responded to the FIR, sticking to the basic question against Congress.
“The Congress is free to file as many lawsuits — but that doesn’t absolve it from answering a serious question: Why did it open an office in Turkey in 2019? And why was this done just days after Turkey openly backed Pakistan at the UN on the Kashmir issue?” Malviya posted on X.
Malviya shared Republic TV’s clip – which erroneously used an image depicting Congress office in Istanbul — on X and wrote, “The FIR is for this video. Imagine.”
Republic TV issued a corrigendum, acknowledging its mistake.
Following Turkey and Azerbaijan’s support for Pakistan after India’s Operation Sindoor,
There have been growing calls to boycott Turkey and Azerbaijan after these two countries backed India.
