MP judge who ordered life term in mob lynching case gets death threats; FIR registered

Alleged social media posts threatened violence against the judge if the 14 convicts accused of mob lynching for cattle smuggling were not released.

Police in Madhya Pradesh’s Narmadapuram district have registered an FIR against two unidentified people for allegedly issuing death threats and making communal remarks against additional district judge (ADJ) Tabassum Khan of the district and sessions courts, who recently sentenced 14 men to life imprisonment in a mob lynching case linked to alleged cattle smuggling.

An FIR has been registered against two individuals for allegedly threatening a judge for his verdict on a mob lynching case tied to cattle smuggling (Representational/ Unsplash)

Seoni Malwa police took suo motu action and registered the case on Saturday under Sections 302 (uttering words or gestures with intent to wound religious feelings) and 196 (promoting enmity between communities) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), following a notice from the Union home ministry’s cyber cell under the Information Technology Act, said station in-charge Sudhakar Baraskar.

He added that the case was registered after objectionable social media posts and videos surfaced online.

“In one of the purported videos, a man allegedly threatened violence if the 14 convicts were not released within 10 days. In another, a woman allegedly made communal remarks against the judge and warned that she would face consequences for the verdict,” Baraskar said, adding that efforts are underway to identify the two accused in the matter.

The threats surfaced after ADJ Khan on June 12 convicted 14 men in a mob lynching case linked to alleged cattle smuggling. The court found them guilty of murder, attempt to murder, rioting and wrongful restraint, sentencing all of them to life imprisonment.

The case dates back to August 3, 2022, when a truck carrying 30 cattle to a fair in Amravati, Maharashtra, was stopped near Barakhad village in Seoni Malwa. A mob allegedly assaulted the three occupants with sticks and iron rods, killing one Nazir Ahmed. Police said the attack was carried out by villagers and self-styled cow vigilantes. A purported video of the incident later went viral on social media.

Speaking on the matter, Congress leader Pawan Khera criticised the government’s response, saying, “Immediate action is usually taken against those who spread hate, yet in Modi’s India, hate-mongers roam freely. The Cyber Cell is not taking punitive action but merely sending notices.”

BJP spokesperson Hitesh Bajpai said, “Police have already taken suo motu cognizance and registered a case. Stringent action will be taken against the accused.”