Complaint filed in Delhi over Sanjay Raut's X post on Albanian Supreme Court fire

A post by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray - UBT) spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has set off a political row. He put the post on X, and it mentions the country of Albania. Though Albania is little known to most Indians, the post has now brought it into discussion.

Anti-government protests are under way in Tirana, the capital of Albania. The protesters claim the demonstrations began mainly because of corruption. Offices of the Supreme Court in Tirana were destroyed in a fire. Albania is a country on the Balkan peninsula in south-eastern Europe.

In his post, Raut wrote that the people of Albania burned down the Supreme Court. People were angry because it was helping a corrupt prime minister. The enraged mob also attacked the parliament, government offices and the homes of ministers. He said all countries should learn a lesson from these events, "especially" India. The post does not name India, but after the last word, "especially", he has put an emoji of the Indian flag.

Over this post, Supreme Court lawyer Vineet Jindal made a formal complaint on October 21 to @CPDelhi and the Joint CP, @DCP_IFSO. He has demanded that an FIR be registered immediately against Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) under Sections 353(1)(b), 152, 196 and 197 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the applicable provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Jindal said the allegation of inciting violence against constitutional institutions should be investigated. Speaking about the complaint, he said the rule of law and the dignity of the country's judicial institutions must be protected.

Asked about the controversy, Raut said: "What controversy? There is no controversy. Some people are creating a controversy for their own convenience. Through my X post I was only saying that the people of India should be alert. They should be alert about the times we live in and about the global situation around us. Is this wrong? Should people not be aware of what is happening outside India?"

When told that a complaint had been filed against him, Raut said: "Let it be. Filing complaints has become a sort of trend these days. A complaint is filed even if someone hoists the tricolour. This has nothing to do with anarchy or violence. My post is only about staying alert."

Jindal responded to this. According to him, speaking against the country and against constitutional authorities has become a trend these days. He said the Supreme Court had issued a notice to Raut four days ago seeking an explanation of his conduct. Even so, he put this post on X, which Jindal alleges shows a criminal intent. Jindal also said that as a lawyer and a vigilant citizen it is his duty to bring out Raut's present statement, his conduct and his earlier conduct, which would show that he is a habitual offender. He also said that if Raut wanted to alert people, he could have used milder words instead of a shocking post that mentions the burning of another country's Supreme Court.

Jindal has filed such a complaint before. In October 2023, he complained to the cyber police against Pakistani sports presenter Zainab Abbas, who had come to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup. In it he cited old social media posts that were alleged to be anti-India and anti-Hindu. Abbas subsequently left India.

Jindal had then said that Abbas's statements were insulting to the country's "unity and sovereignty". He had explained that he is a law-abiding citizen and, rather than reply on social media, filed a formal complaint.