Gujarat Cong leader arrested for misleading posts on Op Sindoor

In Gujarat, the State Congress general secretary Rajesh Soni has been arrested for reported 'objectionable' posts on Operation Sindoor. As per information, he was arrested by the Gandhinagar Cyber Crime Branch following a complaint over his controversial social media posts on Operation Sindoor, triggering a political storm across the State. According to  complaint, Soni shared videos and images on his Facebook page related to Operation Sindoor, the Rafale deal, and other sensitive matters. The posts were allegedly aimed at undermining the morale of the Indian Army, casting doubt on duties, eroding public trust in the armed forces, and raising alarm over national security on social media platforms. Soni was arrested Thursday night by the police within hours after registration of an FIR under Sections 152 and 353 (i) (a) of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.
Superintendent of Police (CID-Cyber Crime), Bharatsinh Tank, said Soni's posts were not only misleading but also potentially harmful to national security. “The content is suspected to have broken the morale of defence personnel and endangered the sovereignty of the country,” said Tank.
The FIR mentioned two Facebook posts. In one of the posts, Soni shared images of posters promoting Operation Sindoor, depicting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a fighter pilot uniform. The accompanying caption in Gujarati stated: "Please note that soldiers will not get the credit. The cost of his publicity will be double the cost of flying the Rafale in Operation Sindoor." In another post, the FIR claims that Soni, despite being aware of the facts, attempted to incite public sentiment by alleging that the Indian government had surrendered during the operation. 
On Friday, the State president and Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil and Vadgam MLA Jignesh Mevani criticised the government for the arrest,asserting that Soni’s intent was to emphasize the need to credit soldiers for their bravery, rather than allowing the government to use taxpayer money for self-promotion. Earlier, the state police registered 14 FIRs for "anti-national content" and "demoralizing the morale of the armed forces" on social media during India-Pakistan clash following "Operation Sindoor".

(State Correspondent)