Guwahati Police Registers FIR Against Journalist Abhisar Sharma

An FIR has been registered against journalist and YouTuber Abhisar Sharma by the Guwahati Crime Branch on Thursday.

The First Information Report was filed on the basis of a complaint by a resident alleging that he had uploaded a video ridiculing both the Assam and the Union governments.

The case has been registered under Sections 152 (sedition), 196 and 197 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS).

Case Registered Under Sections 152, 196 and 197 Of BNS

According to the complaint, Sharma uploaded a video on YouTube accusing Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of pursuing communal politics and making a mockery of the principle of Ram Rajya. He claimed that the government “survives only on Hindu-Muslim polarisation”.

The complaint was filed by Alok Baruah, a 23-year-old resident of Nayanpur, Ganeshguri, disreputing elected governments and provoking communal sentiments.

He further alleged that such comments can inflame passions, creating distrust against lawfully established
established authorities and promoting enmity between religious groups.

What Do Sections State Under Which Case Registered?

Section 152 – Which replaced the repealed sedition law and criminalises acts that endanger the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India.
Section 196 – Offence of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste, or community.
Section 197 – It deals with imputations and assertions that are prejudicial to national integration.

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