Rajdeep Sardesai has filed a police complaint in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi against a lawyer, identified as Prashant Patel, for posting ‘blatantly fake and inciting tweets’ attributing them to the veteran journalist.
Sardesai, now a consulting editor with India Today Group, wrote, “Have filed criminal complaint against the twitter handle @ippatel for putting out blatantly fake inciting tweets. Let us see what action @Uppolice and @DelhiPolice now take. Complaint attached.”
Have filed criminal complaint against the twitter handle @ippatel for putting out blatantly fake inciting tweets. Let us see what action @Uppolice and @DelhiPolice now take. Complaint attached. Cc @AnkitLal pic.twitter.com/AF0w2Ut637
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) February 5, 2018
Sardesai’s complaint was written on the official letterhead of the India Today group suggesting the seriousness with which he has decided to take his complaint forward against Patel, who’s been facing flak on social media because of his past tweets, targetting Islam, women, journalists, veteran BJP leaders and even the RSS.
In his complaint addressed to the SSP of Noida, Love Kumar, Sardesai wrote, “I wish to bring to your notice a tweet put out by one Mr Prashant P Umrao in which he has quoted me saying; “Ek Hazaar Hinduon Ka Katl Karo,’ a totally false statement which can be only used to incite violence. The tweet was shown to me this morning by a friend. The tweet comes from a verified account of Mr Prashant P Umrao and is clearly designed to create mischief. Such a tweet and its user must be acted against.”
Sardesai goes to add, “I wish to file a complaint and seek action from the cyber cell against this individual, who I am told is an advocate based in Delhi. I am happy to cooperate in any such investigation. I am a public figure, who anchors a prime time show on India Today TV and such a false tweet opens me and my family to harm and can only incite communities.”
Patel shot to fame late last month after the Election Commission of India recommended the disqualifications of 20 AAP MLAs in office of profit case. Patel was widely hailed for being a crusader against corruption with TV channels making a beeline to have him as a guest.
However, the lawyer has had to face considerable embarrassment in the last two days after social media users began posting his past tweets targetting Islam, the RSS and women in general.