In response to a complaint lodged by the National Commission for Women (NCW), the Delhi Police on Saturday registered a First Information Report (FIR) against a social media user for making ‘lewd and derogatory’ remarks about Smriti Singh, the widow of Kirti Chakra awardee Captain Anshuman Singh.
The Delhi Police’s Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operation (IFSO) cell took immediate action, registering the FIR under pertinent sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology (IT) Act. According to officials, the FIR addresses an offensive comment made on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), targeting Smriti Singh after she was pictured receiving her late husband’s posthumous Kirti Chakra award.
The registration of the FIR follows the NCW’s letter to the Delhi Police, highlighting specific legal provisions violated by the offensive comment. These include Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which penalises acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman, and Section 67 of the IT Act, 2000, which pertains to the punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.
The NCW, taking suo motu cognisance of the incident, filed a formal complaint with the Delhi Police, urging the arrest of the individual responsible for the derogatory remarks. The commission’s letter to the Police Commissioner of Delhi emphasised the urgency of the matter and demanded a detailed report within three days.
The offensive comments began surfacing on social media shortly after images of Smriti Singh accepting her husband’s Kirti Chakra award were published. The NCW’s intervention underscores the importance of safeguarding the dignity and respect of individuals, especially those who have made significant sacrifices for the nation.
The social media platform X, owned by Elon Musk, has been asked to provide details of the account responsible for the offensive remarks. The Delhi Police’s swift response to the NCW’s complaint demonstrates a firm stance against online harassment and the misuse of social media platforms to perpetrate abusive behaviour.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges of combating cyber harassment and the critical role of legal frameworks and regulatory bodies in ensuring the protection of individuals from online abuse. The collaborative efforts of the NCW and the Delhi Police serve as a reminder of the importance of maintaining respect and decency in digital interactions.
