Court orders probe after ‘Awaam Ki Awaaz’ posts abusive content on Facebook

PULWAMA — Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Pulwama on Monday directed Police to investigate the matter and submit a report before it after six persons including a former legislator and bank manager approached court seeking registration of FIR against two persons who, according to them, defamed, abused and tarnished their image on social media.

Six persons including former legislator Ghulam Mohiuddin Mir, Ghulam Rasool Thokar, Abdul Gani Dar, all residents of Murran, Muhammad Yousuf, Abdul Hamid Bhat, Manzoor Ahmed Dar, all residents of Dadoora village of Pulwama filed a petition in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Pulwama seeking lodgment of FIR against Arshid Ahmed Bhat of Dadoora and Ajaz Ahmed Dhobi of Dangarpora for maligning their character on social media.

“Arshid Ahmed Bhat of Dadoora and Ajaz Ahmed Dhobi of Dangarpora run some group Awaam Ki Awaaz and during the period of lockdown, they have collected a huge quantity of essential goods, cash and other things from innocent people of district Pulwama and thereafter, grabbed the same. Arshid Bhat is running a Facebook page and uploading defamation statements against many respectable and reputed persons including the residents of Dadoora village of Pulwama,” the applicants stated.

They said that on 26 May 2020, Arshid Bhat on his Facebook page uploaded unparliamentary and abusive language against the residents and respected persons of village Dadoora Pulwama and thereby, defamed the whole village through the social media. The applicants presented all the screenshots of the said Facebook page before the court.

The applicants also alleged that police have taken no action till date as a result, they suffered a lot. They sought directions from the Court to Station House Officer Police Station Pulwama for the lodgment of FIR against the accused.

The Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate directed SHO Police Station Pulwama to investigate the matter and submit a report before the Court by or before June 10 this month.

When contacted, a police officer said that an FIR stands already registered against the two persons in question and investigation is going on.