The Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police in Maharashtra registered an FIR last week against a lawyer for sharing a video by YouTuber Dhruv Rathee that criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Lok Sabha elections.
On May 20, advocate Adesh Bansode, who is also the Maharashtra secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, shared a link to a Dhruv Rathee video titled 'Mind of a Dictator' in the Bar Association of Vasai WhatsApp group. He added the message, "Do watch the video before going to vote." This was on the same day as the fifth phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections.
Following this, another lawyer filed a complaint with the police about the "objectionable" video shared by Bansode. Consequently, the police lodged a suo motu complaint and registered an FIR on May 21.
The FIR, based on a complaint by a head constable from the secret branch of MBVV Police, stated, "The video shared by the accused and its message make a false statement about Lok Sabha election candidates and tries to influence voters, thus violating the prohibitory orders of the commissioner of police."
To ensure smooth election proceedings, MBVV Police Commissioner Madhukar Pandey had issued a prohibitory order for his commissionerate from May 18 to May 20.
Bansode called the FIR illegal and claimed it was an attempt by the state to suppress people's voices. He asserted that the police did not follow due legal process before filing the FIR under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
"As per CrPC Section 195, it is mandatory for the police to obtain prior permission from the concerned court before registering an FIR under Section 188 of the IPC," Bansode said.
He further criticized the police action, stating, "The said video was watched, liked, and shared by crores of internet users. Would the police be lodging a case against all of them? I am protesting against the illegal FIR."