The fourth FIR registered against Republic TV channel and its employees by the Mumbai police for allegedly defaming the Mumbai police and trying to cause “disaffection” among members of the police force. The FIR filed under Section 3(1) of the Police (Incitement to Disaffection) Act, 1922, along with IPC Section 500 (defamation).

The Mumbai police on Friday registered a fresh FIR against Republic Television channel and booked its executive editor, anchor, two reporters and other editorial staff members for allegedly inciting “disaffection” among the police personnel against Commissioner Param Bir Singh and maligning the city police’s image.
This is the fourth criminal case registered against Republic TV channel and its employees by the city police.

The FIR registered at NM Joshi Marg police station in the city, pertained to a report run by the Republic TV about a ‘revolt’ against the city police commissioner by senior officers. The complainant Shashikant Pawar is a sub-inspector posted at the Social Media Lab (SML).

The FIR filed under Section 3(1) of the Police (Incitement to Disaffection) Act, 1922, along with IPC Section 500 (defamation).

The SML is entrusted with duties of monitoring content on social media platforms and TV channels and identifying posts, fake news, rumours and other content that has potential to create unrest in the city or can lead to any communal tension or law and order situation in the city or state.

As per the FIR, police officials at SML observed that the Republic TV channel telecast a show under the segment Biggest Story Tonight, with a caption line, Revolt Against Param Bir Singh? The news item alleged that Param Bir Singh is tarnishing the image of Mumbai police and his orders are not acceptable to the junior officers in the department. The news show was anchored by Shivani Gupta and reporter Sagrika Mitra based on the news story gathered by Republic TV Reporter Shawan Sen.

The complainant stated in the FIR: “By broadcasting such content, the channel and its journalists intentionally tried to incite disaffection among the police personnel against the police commissioner and the act also maligns Mumbai Police’s image,” The FIR registered against Republic TV anchor Shivani Gupta, reporter Sagrika Mitra, reporter Shawan Sen and executive editor of the show Niranjan Narayan Swami and other editorial staff