News portal, 7 others face FIR over Unnao case tweets

People protest against Unnao incident, in Bengaluru. PIC/PTI

An FIR has been lodged against eight Twitter handles for allegedly propagating fake news in connection with the death of two girls in Unnao last week, police said on Monday.

The Twitter handles include news portal ‘Mojo Story', led by senior journalist Barkha Dutt who termed the FIR a case of brazen "harassment and bullying". The case was registered at the Sadar Kotwali police station area in Unnao on Sunday against seven more Twitter accounts: Janjagran Live, Aazad Samaj Party spokesperson Suraj Kumar Boudh, Nilim Dutta, Vijay Ambedkar, Abhay Kumar Azad, Rahul Diwakar, Nawab Satpal Tanwar.

FIR for fake news
The FIR has been lodged for propagating "fake and misleading news" regarding the incident, ASP Vinod Kumar Pandey said on Monday.

Dutt said, "We've followed journalistic principles by reporting all sides of an evolving story. To use IPC sections that are punishable with prison is pure intimidation. I am very ready to fight it and face it in court." "Even more suspicious is how Unnao police has clubbed us with a bunch of politicians."

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