Case registered against Sonia Gandhi in connection with a tweet posted by Congress (File)
A case has been registered against Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Karnataka in connection with a tweet posted on the party's official handle alleging misuse of PM-CARES Fund, police said.
The Sagara town police in Shivamogga district registered the case on Wednesday based on a complaint by Praveen KV, who alleged that @INCIndia, the official Twitter handle of the Congress, tried to create distrust among masses with its tweet by spreading "baseless charges."
The state Congress condemned the registration of the case.
The case has been registered under sections of the Indian Penal Code which relate to wantonly provoking people and inciting them to commit offence against any other class or community.
The complainant alleged that on May 11 at 6 pm, the INC India Twitter account posted messages against Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging "misuse" of PM-CARES Fund set up to enable people contribute to help the government fight the coronavirus and "similar distressing situations."
He sought legal action against Sonia Gandhi and Congress workers involved in handling the Twitter account.
In his letter to the Chief Minister, Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar alleged that the complainant, who is an advocate by profession, has lodged the complaint with a political motive on false information.
He demanded that the FIR be withdrawn and the police officer who registered a case against Sonia Gandhi be suspended "for misusing the process of law in the interest of justice and equity."
Karnataka Congress spokesperson Subhash Agarwal condemned the registration of case and said "it is the role and responsibility of the opposition to question the government.
Democracy will die if the opposition''s voice is muzzled."
He also said the party had always maintained that there was no need for the PM-CARES Fund when the PM Relief Fund already existed.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)