Complaint against Rana Ayyub for 'Delhi violence' clip

A Mumbai resident has filed a police complaint application seeking action against journalist Rana Ayyub for posting an "old" video purportedly of the Delhi violence, an official said on Wednesday.

The complainant Ramesh Solanki claimed the video was two-years old, and it was posted by Ayyub "with an intention to spread hatred in the society and to add more fuel to the Delhi violence".

In his complaint, which he filed online on Tuesday, Solanki, 50, also uploaded a photo of Rana's tweet and the Twitter handle "@ranaayyub".

"Please take action against this hate-monger Rana Ayyub. The video shared by Rana Ayyub is two-year old and she is sharing it again in this situation trying to spread hatred in the society and to incite people and add more fuel to the Delhi violence.

"Rana is regular at posting false rumours and defame India and government of India, it's very necessary to take action against her before she is successful in creating communal disharmony in the country, arrest her and take legal action against her (sic)," stated the complaint.

A senior Mumbai Cyber Crime official said they will first verify facts before deciding to take any action, if needed.

"If needed, we will transfer the complaint to police station concerned for further investigation," he said.

A 45-second video clip posted on the Twitter handle @RanaAyyub on February 25 shows some men attempting to place a saffron flag and the National tricolour on what looks like a minaret, against the backdrop of billowing black smoke.

"Re-posting this video after verifying its authenticity. It is from Delhi. Men marching on top of a mosque, vandalising it and placing a saffron flag over it," Ayyub tweeted.

Ayyub had shared the video earlier as well, but deleted it after it was alleged to be fake. She then posted it again.

Seventeen people have died so far and over hundred were injured in the violence that has gripped several parts of north east Delhi over the Citizenship Amendment Act since Sunday.