Complaint In Varanasi Court Seeks FIR Against Prof Madhu Kishwar Over Social Media Posts On PM Modi, CM Adityanath

The complaint, filed by Advocate Shashank Shekhar Tripathi, who is also the Convener of the BJP Legal Cell in the Kashi region, accuses Prof Kishwar of running a continuous, malicious and premeditated social media campaign targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the judiciary.

Hearing the case on Friday, the court has registered the case as Misclenneous compliant case and called for a report (आख्या) from the local police.

The complaint, moved under Section 173(4) BNSS, has alleged that Prof Kishwar used highly objectionable terms against the PM by linking him to the "Epstein list" and alleging "criminal links" which damaged the dignity of the highest executive office.

The plea states that derogatory language was also used against the Chief Minister Adityanath in social media posts, specifically framing his leadership as 'dictatorial' to tarnish his public image.

The complainant alleges that Kishwar's posts saying "direct action by PM" were designed to portray the judicial process as biased and to erode public faith in institutional independence.

Furthermore, the application alleges that Prof Kishwar was twisting religious issues to spread animosity between communities by using 'provocative' phrases such as "conversion mafia" and "Hindu anger".

"…criminal intent (Mens Rea) is clear…that the accused (Prof Kishwar) is deliberately spreading falsehoods, avoiding giving evidence and running a planned campaign to influence the public…the social impact and potential danger is that the actions of the accused are creating confusion and discontent in the society, faith in constitutional institutions is being eroded, communal harmony is being affected, and there may be a threat to law and order", the complaint states.

Advocate Tripathi has also submitted that the "widespread negative impact” of these posts was a serious concern and a matter of objection among lawyers and citizens at the Civil Court premises in Varanasi.

Against this backdrop, the complainant has prayed for an immediate direction for the registration of an FIR and a probe into the digital evidence and Kishwar's social media accounts. It also prays for a direction to identify and take legal action against the unknown co-accused assisting in the alleged campaign.