Delhi Police book Mahua for post on NCW chief; Trinamool MP undeterred

The Delhi Police’s Special Cell on Sunday registered an FIR against TMC MP Mahua Moitra for allegedly outraging a woman’s modesty by posting “inappropriate comments” on social media about National Commission of Women (NCW) chief Rekha Sharma. 

The FIR was lodged two days after NCW Joint Secretary A. Asholi Chalai wrote to Commissioner of Police Sanjay Arora, asking him to take action against Ms. Moitra for her post on social media platform X on Thursday where she allegedly made an inappropriate comment about Ms. Sharma after videos and photographs of her staff holding an umbrella for her went viral. 

The video was filmed when Ms. Sharma visited the spot in Hathras where over 100 women and children died in a stampede.

Crude remarks

“The National Commission for Women has taken suo moto cognizance of the derogatory remarks by Ms. Mahua Moitra, Member of Parliament, about Ms. Rekha Sharma, Chairperson, of NCW. This is an apex statutory body established by the Government of India for the protection and promotion of women’s rights. The crude remarks made by Ms. Moitra are extremely outrageous and a sheer violation of a woman’s right to live with dignity,” the letter to Mr. Arora read. 

Further, the Joint Secretary of NCW wrote that the Commission observed that prima facie the “remarks” attracts Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023 and directed the enforcement body to prepare a detailed report of the action taken and submit it within three days.

Two days after the police received the complaint, a senior officer said that a complaint has been received from the National Commission of Women, alleging that a “purported repost of a tweet by Ms. Mohua Mitra, MP, is an offence under Section 79, BNS-2023.”

Taking cognisance of the complaint, a case FIR under Section 79, BNS-2023 has been registered by the Special Cell, and an investigation has begun, the official added.

Serial offender

Reacting to the NCW’s social media post where the body asked for the Delhi Police to take action, Ms. Moitra posted again, with screenshots of Ms. Sharma calling politician Lalu Prasad Yadav dumb and calling him and senior politician Sonia Gandhi a “perfect couple.” Another screen shot of Ms. Sharma’s social media posts showed her making a “sleazy comment” about Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his wife.

Ms. Moitra wrote in her post that while Delhi Police is at it, they should “please register an FIR against another serial offender” under their new Act.

Taking cognisance of NCW’s suo moto order, she further posted on X that she is in Nadia (a district in West Bengal), in case the Delhi Police wants to arrest her in 3 days.

“Come on, Delhi Police, please take action immediately on these suo moto orders. I am in Nadia in case you need me in the next 3 days to make a quick arrest,” her post read.