Kangana Ranaut booked over X post on Gandhis

BJP Member of Parliament Kangana Ranaut has been formally charged by Himachal Pradesh Police for allegedly posting content deemed offensive on social media, targeting the Gandhi family. According to reports, her posts, dating back to November 10, made reference to the deaths of former Indian Prime Ministers Indira, Rajiv, and Sanjay Gandhi, as well as Sonia Gandhi.

The police have registered a complaint under Sections 196, 353, and 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which address inciting enmity, disseminating statements that could cause public discord, and defamation, respectively.

The complaint was lodged by Captain Atul Sharma, a resident of Shimla, through an email to the Himachal Pradesh Director General of Police on November 12. The email was also disseminated to senior officers of the Criminal Investigation Department and the Cyber Crime division. The issue at hand revolves around a series of posts made by Ranaut's verified X (formerly Twitter) account, @KanganaTeam, on November 10.

These posts featured an archival video of Gandhi family members and suggested a connection between their deaths and Sonia Gandhi's rise to political prominence.

Sharma found the characterization of Sonia Gandhi as a "mysterious foreign national" and the juxtaposition of historical events particularly objectionable. He also took issue with remarks regarding Maneka Gandhi's alleged removal from the family residence post-Sanjay Gandhi's demise. The complainant argued that the content exceeded the boundaries of political discourse or historical commentary, potentially undermining public harmony and inciting hostility.

The complaint cited Sections 196 (promoting enmity between groups), 353 (circulation of statements causing public mischief), and 356 (defamation) of the BNS, 2023.

The complainant further emphasized that while free speech is a constitutional guarantee, it is not absolute and is subject to reasonable restrictions under the law. He referenced Supreme Court judgments, including those in the Lalita Kumari and Amish Devgan cases, in his plea for a fair investigation. The complainant also stressed the importance of preserving digital evidence, including metadata, platform records, and the original archival footage, in line with the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023.

The complainant called for a timely investigation, asserting that the proceedings should not be influenced by the political stature or public profile of the individuals named in the complaint. As of now, Kangana Ranaut has not issued a public response to the registration of the case.