Bengaluru (Karnataka): Noida-based author and YouTuber Ajeet Bharti has been issued a notice by the Bengaluru city's Highgrounds police station to appear for questioning on charges of sharing a controversial video against Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi on social media, a senior police official said.
The notice was issued on June 20. In the notice, it is directed to appear before the investigating officer at 11 am within seven days of receiving the notice.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwar told reporters here, "Karnataka Police went in civil clothes to serve notice to Ajeeth Bharti in Noida. Information should have been given to the local police there, but it was not. The Noida police told our police not to arrest without a warrant. If the YouTuber does not come after giving notice, then they will arrest him."
On June 6, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) legal unit filed a complaint against Ajeet Bharti, who had shared a video on his official X account.
KPCC legal secretary and lawyer BK Bopanna had filed a complaint against Ajeet at High Grounds police station, alleging that "Ajeet Bharti said in the video that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi intends to bring back Babri Masjid instead of Sri Ram Mandir. But Rahul Gandhi has not made any such statement in any of his speeches. Ajeet Bharti has shared false information with the intention of inciting discord and hatred between communities. This is with a clear intention to disturb and incite public order."
Based on this complaint, the Karnataka Police registered a case against Ajeet Bharti under Section 153A (inciting enmity between communities on the basis of religion, caste) and 505(2) (spreading fake news with the intention of creating enmity between communities on the basis of caste, religion, race) of the IPC.
