GC College's ABVP President lodges FIR against Tomojit Saha for posting Narendra Modi's "Derogatory" image on Social Media

An FIR has been lodged at Silchar Sadar Police Station against Tomojit Saha who is a teacher at a private college in Silchar. He is also associated with a Bengali daily broadsheet.

The FIR has been lodged by Snehangshu Chakraborty, president of ABVP’s GC College unit. In the Police complaint, it is mentioned that a teacher of Bengali department Ramanuj Gupta Junior College resident of Bipin Chandra Lane in Public School Road Silchar namely Tomojit Saha has been spreading “disrespectful and hate speech about Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and CM of Haryana Shri Manohar Lal Khattar in social media.”

Snehangshu Chakraborty’s complaint adds, “Which (the social media post) hurt the sentiments of a large portion of society he is also a journalist of Samayik Prasanga therefore kindly look into the matter and take appropriate action.”

Explaining the reason behind filing the FIR, Chakraborty shared, “He is a teacher by profession. Students will learn from him, so, what he shares becomes extremely important. Being a teacher if he spreads this (allegedly derogatory image of PM, CM, and Dy CM – Haryana) on social media, what impact will it have on the students in the society?”

A case has been registered by the Police under section 294/501 and 67 IT Act. “I am not aware of any such FIR against me,” said Tomojit Saha when Barak Bulletin’s correspondent reached out to him.

For the records, article 501 (Printing or engraving matter is known to be defamatory), 294 (Obscene acts and songs—Whoever, to the annoyance of others), 67 (Punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) has been invoked.

Sharing his opinion on the FIR, a legal affairs expert said, “The invoking of Section 294 and Section 501 read with Section 67 of IT Act appears to be utterly hilarious. A plain reading of the aforesaid sections will show us that it’s nothing more than a ‘let’s teach him a lesson ‘ FIR.”

The expert added on condition of anonymity, “Are we to understand that journalists should stop posting pictures of protests across the country? Are we to assume that the Executive of the country is beyond ridiculing? Freedom of expression can be limited by ‘reasonable restrictions’ and not by uninformed ultra-sensitive sentimentality. The FIR has absolutely no substance prima facie.”