YouTuber booked over claims of beef, Jinnah images at Fort Kochi cafe

Kochi: The Fort Kochi police have registered a case against a YouTuber for allegedly circulating communal claims about a popular cafe in the heritage town, including allegations that it displayed images of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and served beef.

According to The Times of India, sources in the state Home Minister’s office said on Saturday, October 24, that a case was registered against Amrit Singh Darren under Sections 353(2) and 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The provisions deal with the publication or circulation of false information that promotes enmity between groups and with deliberate provocation intended to cause a riot.

The case relates to a video posted on Darren’s Instagram account, in which he allegedly claimed that Kashi Art Cafe had several small images of Jinnah alongside one of Mahatma Gandhi and that its menu consisted mainly of beef dishes.

The FIR said the video claimed that the cafe served beef because it was located in a Muslim-dominated area. The video was reportedly posted around 6 am on October 22 and has since been removed from his Instagram account.

Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the remarks and demanded legal action against those spreading communal enmity.

In a post on X, Vijayan said Fort Kochi and Varkala were places where cultures met, histories intertwined and diversity thrived.

“Now, a vlogger peddling hate for profit seeks to paint these vibrant destinations in communal colours. Having failed to divide Keralam, the Sangh Parivar is outsourcing its hate campaign to online provocateurs. But Keralam’s secular spirit will not yield to their politics of hatred. The state government must take strict legal action against those spreading communal enmity,” he wrote.