Gujarat Congress leader Rajesh Soni was arrested on Friday for sharing social media posts related to Operation Sindoor, the Rafale deal, and other politically sensitive topics. The FIR, filed by Gandhinagar’s cybercrime cell, accuses Soni of spreading “morale-breaking” content that allegedly undermines the Indian Army’s image and national security. The complaint, lodged by a sub-inspector, invokes sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita pertaining to endangering India’s sovereignty, promoting public mischief, and disturbing public order. Authorities allege that Soni’s posts were aimed at eroding public trust in the armed forces and creating alarm among citizens.

The FIR claims that despite knowing the information was false, Soni deliberately posted content designed to incite hatred, lower the morale of soldiers, and tarnish India’s international reputation. According to Superintendent of Police (CID-Cyber Crime) Bharatsinh Tank, the videos and images Soni shared on Facebook were not only misleading but also accused the government of using the military’s operations for political publicity. The complaint asserts that the posts falsely implied a surrender or failure in Operation Sindoor and were intended to “diminish the Indian Army’s enthusiasm” and disrupt national unity.

In response, the Congress party has strongly condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on freedom of speech. Gujarat Congress chief Shaktisinh Gohil clarified that Rajesh Soni did not speak against the Army but merely criticized the government’s alleged politicization of military operations. “If someone is saying our brave soldiers should get the credit and not the government’s publicity machinery, how is that a crime?” Gohil asked on social media. Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani also defended Soni, claiming that he had only shared content already posted by national leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Supriya Shrinate. The arrest has sparked political outrage and raised questions about the boundaries between dissent and disinformation.