Chhattisgarh Journalist Arrested for 'Spreading Fake News' About Congress

The FIR was registered on the complaint of Khilwan Nishad, a Congress worker.

A journalist, Nilesh Sharma, was arrested in Chhattisgarh on the night of Tuesday, 2 March, after a complaint was lodged at the Civil Lines Police Station in Raipur stating that the accused was spreading malicious information about the ruling Congress party in the state.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

A journalist, Nilesh Sharma, was arrested in Chhattisgarh on the night of Tuesday, 2 March, after a complaint was lodged at the Civil Lines Police Station in Raipur stating that the accused was spreading malicious information about the ruling Congress party in the state.

The FIR was registered on the complaint of one Khilwan Nishad, a Congress worker. Khilawan said in the complaint Sharma was a member of 'Godi Media', a term coined for media sympathetic to BJP and RSS.

He added that there was an attempt to spread malicious information against the Congress party in the state, "The web portal Indianwriters is trying to draw a wedge among the party members through its column named 'Ghurwa Ke Mati'... the web portal is acting with a hideous agenda to spread negativity against the Congress party to weaken the hold of party over the public," the FIR read.

"There was a complaint against Nilesh Sharma for spreading fake and baseless news against a political party. An FIR was registered and he was arrested following which he was sent on judicial remand. We are investigating the matter," said the Civil Lines Police Station in-charge.

Khilawan stated that he has been a worker of the Congress party for over two decades, and that he supports both state health minister T S Singhdeo and Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.