Gujarat Congress leader held over Facebook posts on ‘Operation Sindoor’, party slams arrest

The Gujarat Cyber Crime Cell of the CID on Thursday arrested Congress leader Rajesh Soni in connection with a series of Facebook posts allegedly critical of the government and the Indian Army.

The arrest followed the registration of a First Information Report (FIR), confirmed Bharatsinh Tank, Superintendent of Police, CID (Cyber Crime).

The arrest, which took place in the early hours of Thursday, has triggered a sharp political response from the Congress, which accused the state police of suppressing dissent.

Posts flagged during routine cyber patrol

According to police officials, the Cyber Crime Cell flagged five Facebook posts made in May from the account ‘Rajesh Soni’ during routine cyber patrolling on 4 June. These posts were found to contain content deemed “anti-national, socially divisive, or capable of inciting hatred towards religious groups and public institutions”.

One of the posts quoted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and read, “Narendra Modi surrendered before Trump.” Another post featured promotional material linked to “Operation Sindoor” alongside a railway ticket, with the caption: “Soldiers will not be credited, it is to be noted. The expenditure on their photos and promotion will exceed the expenditure on Rafale in Operation Sindoor.”

A third post compared promotional banners on the CoWIN app and a railway ticket, calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “Publicity Minister, not Prime Minister.”A fourth featured a video of Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate, while the fifth stated: “A 22-year-old young Agniveer is being retired and sent back home, while a 73-year-old man asks for another chance for himself.”

Charges under new penal code

The police said the posts were allegedly intended to erode public trust in the Indian Army and spread misinformation despite awareness of the facts. The CID claimed the posts were capable of demoralising the armed forces and harming India’s international image.

Soni has been booked under Sections 152 (acts endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India) and 353(1)(a) (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the new criminal code replacing the IPC.

Congress hits out at ‘pre-dawn arrest’

The Gujarat Congress came out in strong support of Soni, condemning the manner of his arrest.

Speaking to reporters, state Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil said, “He was arrested at 4 am as if he were a terrorist. This is nothing but political intimidation.”

Gohil added, “Soni only demanded that the bravery of our soldiers be recognised and that taxpayers’ money not be spent on political self-promotion. His intent was to support the army, not malign it.”

The party has not yet indicated whether it will challenge the arrest legally, but leaders hinted at raising the issue both within the state and at the national level.