John Brittas shares with Delhi Police 'evidence' of online attacks on Misri, Pahalgam victims' kin

CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas has shared with the Delhi Police ''evidence'' of online attacks against Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and the kin of victims of the Pahalgam attack.

Brittas, who is also a member of the Parliamentary Panel on External Affairs, had in May written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding an inquiry into the online attacks faced by the senior diplomat. He had also mentioned cyber hate campaigns targeting Himanshi Narwal, the widow of naval officer Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, and Arathi, the daughter of tourist N Ramachandran — both of whom were killed in the April 22 Pahalgam attack.

Brittas said he was responding to a call by the Delhi police seeking evidence to substantiate the complaint.

In a letter addressed to Manishi Chandra, DCP Counter Intelligence (Special Cell), the CPI(M) leader said he is sharing materials, drawn from abusive social media posts as well as mainstream media coverage, which clearly establishes ''a concerted campaign of cyber harassment and vilification.'' He said the police cannot abdicate their statutory duty by shifting the burden of proving a cognizable offence onto the informant at the threshold stage, and an FIR must be filed.

''I must point out that under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, once information relating to a cognizable offence is received, the police are duty-bound to register an FIR and commence investigation,'' Brittas said.

''The doctrine of Zero FIR, now part of criminal procedure, further removes any technical objection as to jurisdiction. The BNSS does not restrict such reporting only to the direct victim of the offence,'' he said, adding, once such information is received, it is obligatory for the police to ''reduce it into writing, enter it in the prescribed register, and act upon it.'' Brittas requested the police to register an FIR without delay and conduct a thorough investigation, using digital forensics to trace the perpetrators and their networks.

''Police must also act promptly to preserve social media evidence before it is tampered with or deleted. Any refusal to register a case despite receipt of credible information would be contrary to Section 173 BNSS,'' he said.

The Leftist leader also stressed that the attackers targeted not only one of the nation's senior-most diplomats but also the grieving families of terror victims.

''As a Member of Parliament, I am fully competent to bring such grave matters, which touch upon national security, the dignity of public officials, and the safety of citizens, to the attention of law enforcement authorities. The forwarding of my above referred representation by the Ministry of Home Affairs to Delhi Police further affirms my locus in this matter,'' he said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)