Uttar Pradesh Police has filed a First Information Report on Supriya Sharma, Executive Editor of Scroll.in, for reporting on the impact of lockdown in Varanasi – Prime Minister’s constituency.
The case is filed under sections 501 (defamatory) and 269(negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life)of the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Scroll.in’s Editor-in-chief’s name is also mentioned in the FIR.
The FIR was filed based on a complaint made by Mala Devi, a resident of Varanasi’s Domari village. Mala, was one of the residents who was interviewed by Sharma during the series of stories she did on the impact of lockdown in Varanasi.
In the interview, Scroll.in has reported that Mala was a domestic worker and she experienced food distress during the lockdown since she did not have a ration card.
Mala has stated that the report has misrepresented her comments and identity in the complaint. “During the lockdown, neither me or anyone in my family faced any problems. By saying that me and children went hungry, Supriya Sharma had made fun of my poverty and caste,” she said according to the FIR copy.
Scroll.in, however, has decided to stand ground and defend the report that it has produced on the impact of lockdown in Varanasi.
