Delhi Police registered a **First Information Report (FIR)** on Friday against Aam Aadmi Party (**AAP**) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. The FIR follows a formal complaint from the Directorate of Education (**DoE**), alleging the spread of misinformation regarding Delhi school teachers and stray dog duties.
The DoE’s complaint centers on social media claims that Delhi school teachers were assigned to count stray dogs. Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood confirmed the government decided to act against this “false information” attributed to Kejriwal. The **DoE** filed the complaint, demanding legal action.
FIR Details and Legal Charges
The **FIR** was registered under Sections 353 and 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (**BNS**). Section 353 addresses the act of making, publishing, or circulating false information, including through electronic means. Section 192 pertains to wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause a riot. Police officials confirmed these specific charges.
Minister Sood held a press conference, stating Kejriwal had posted a message on social media. This message allegedly claimed Delhi’s teachers were being asked to count stray dogs instead of teaching children. Sood confirmed a police complaint was lodged on Thursday specifically concerning this tweet.
DoE’s Formal Complaint and Allegations
The complaint, submitted at the Civil Lines police station, detailed the “circulation of false, misleading, and malicious information on social media platforms.” It attributed this activity to “unknown/mischievous persons” regarding an “alleged direction that school teachers are required to count stray dogs.”
The **DoE** further alleged “deliberate attempts” were made for spreading “false and fabricated news with mala fide intent.” This intent, according to the complaint, aimed to cause “confusion and panic among teachers and school staff.” It also sought to damage the reputation of the Education Department and disrupt public order and trust in government institutions. The complaint concluded that these actions constituted a breach of social responsibility.
Official Clarification on Circular Content
The Directorate of Education explicitly clarified its original circular. It stated there has been “no mention of counting of stray dogs” within the document. The **DoE** officially confirmed that “no such directions have ever been issued” by the department concerning teachers counting stray dogs.
Additionally, the complaint highlighted instances of “impersonation of some individuals as a teacher counting stray dogs” seen on social media. The **DoE** called for immediate investigation into these impersonations and appropriate legal and criminal action.
Government Response and Political Statements
The Delhi government has shared a list of social media handles identified as spreading false information. At the press conference, Minister Sood displayed a small card. It bore **AAP**’s symbol with the words “victim card,” which he labeled as part of the party’s political strategy.
Sood criticized **AAP**’s tactics. He stated, “The Aam Aadmi Party is free to continue its shoot and scoot politics on social media, but we will take all legal action from our side.” He accused **AAP** leaders of deliberately misleading the public and predicted the party would portray itself as a victim following the **FIR**.
Actual Circular Details
Minister Sood read aloud the circular issued by the education department. This document outlines the appointment of a nodal officer in schools. The nodal officer’s role is to coordinate matters related to stray dogs. Sood underscored that the circular assigns “no role” to school teachers in these matters. Teachers are not involved in any duties related to stray dogs, according to the official directive.