Delhi Court Orders FIR Against Abhijit Iyer Mitra Over Alleged Abusive Posts on Social Media

A Delhi court on Wednesday directed the registration of an FIR against commentator Abhijit Iyer Mitra following a complaint filed by Manisha Pande, Editorial Director of Newslaundry.

The complaint accused Mitra of posting abusive and sexually offensive remarks against her and other women employees on social media platform X. The order was passed by Judicial Magistrate First Class Bhanu Pratap Singh at the Saket Courts.

The court observed that the tweets in question were “sexually coloured remarks” and prima facie intended to insult the modesty of the complainant, who was specifically named in one of the posts.

The court further noted that the content disclosed cognizable offences under provisions related to sexually offensive remarks and outraging the modesty of women under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

It emphasized that a police investigation is necessary, particularly since the alleged offences were committed in cyberspace. Highlighting the need for a thorough probe, the court directed authorities to verify the user account on platform X from which the tweets were posted and to trace the electronic devices used.

It also expressed dissatisfaction with the Action Taken Report filed earlier by the police, stating that it failed to adequately consider the alleged tweets. Pande alleged that Mitra had posted sexually abusive content targeting women journalists associated with the platform. Advocate Bani Dixit appeared on her behalf in the case.

The matter has a broader legal context, as the journalists had earlier filed a defamation suit against Mitra before the Delhi High Court, seeking a public apology and damages worth ₹2 crore. They alleged that the posts were defamatory, malicious, and intended to harm their dignity and professional reputation, including the use of derogatory and offensive language.

Previously, the High Court had criticized Mitra over the posts, following which he removed the content. However, Mitra has since approached the court seeking dismissal of the defamation case, which remains pending. 

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