Reader TTS

Nilesh Sharma, a journalist and “political satirist” from Chhattisgarh’s Raipur, has been arrested by the police on charges of “spreading fake news” against Congress leaders, _Hindustan

Times_ _reported_. This came after one Khilawan Nishad, who calls himself a Congress worker, filed a complaint against the journalist accusing him and his portal of spreading fake news.

_According to the ___Statesman_, _Sharma is the editor of web portal and magazine_ India Writers._ The _Statesman_ alleged that the complainant had singled out Sharma’s political satire,

_Ghurwa ke Maati_, for “driving a wedge between the Congress leaders”; the complainant also said Sharma was a part of “Godi media”. Accordingly, an FIR was registered against Sharma on

Wednesday under section 504 of the Indian Penal Code for intentional insult to provoke breach of peace. The FIR accuses Sharma of “spreading negativity” and driving a “wedge among the

leaders and office bearers of Congress”. He was arrested on Thursday. Police superintendent Prashant Agarwal was quoted as saying, “We have booked him under the relevant sections for

spreading rumours, fake news, and more investigation is going on.” In a similar instance in October last year, _a journalist and his technical assistant_ from Chhattisgarh were also arrested

for publishing “misleading and baseless” information after two Congress MLAs had filed a complaint against them.