The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has closed its case against journalist Omar Rashid after Delhi Police concluded that there were no grounds to proceed in a matter based on anonymous social media allegations.
The case remained under review for more than 300 days and was initiated after online posts in 2025 made serious accusations against Rashid. Acting on a complaint, the NHRC had directed Delhi Police to investigate the matter.
In its report submitted on October 6, 2025, Delhi Police said no further action was required as the alleged complainant did not disclose her identity or address and showed no willingness to pursue the case.
“The alleged victim did not reveal her identity or address and was not willing to proceed further,” the police report stated.
Complaint Originated From Anonymous Social Media Posts
The case began when Tanmay N., associated with the Sahyadri Rights Forum, filed a complaint with the NHRC based on anonymous online posts.
The Commission registered the matter on May 23, 2025, naming Rashid and a news organisation he was then associated with. However, during the inquiry, the complainant did not respond to police findings or subsequent proceedings.
The allegations were based on posts that were later examined by the authorities, but no supporting evidence or verifiable details were found during the investigation.
High Court Directed Timely Closure of Proceedings
After prolonged proceedings, Rashid approached the Delhi High Court seeking expedited closure of the case.
On November 7, 2025, the High Court directed the NHRC to complete the process within six weeks. Following this, the Commission reviewed the police report and gave the complainant an opportunity to respond, but received no reply.
The NHRC then concluded that there was no basis for further action.
“Upon perusal of the case records, no response has been received from the complainant,” the Commission noted.
NHRC Says No Further Intervention Needed
After examining the final police report and case records, the NHRC closed the matter.
“In view of the above facts and circumstances, the Commission is of the opinion that no further intervention is warranted in the matter. The case is closed,” it said.
Omar Rashid Calls Case “False and Malicious Campaign”
Following the closure of the case, Omar Rashid said the investigation had exposed what he described as a coordinated attempt to spread false allegations against him through anonymous posts.
He said the campaign began on May 21–22, 2025, and was designed to harm his reputation and incite communal tension.
“This was a coordinated and calculated hate campaign using anonymity to spread defamatory falsehoods against me,” Rashid said.
He alleged that the posts were framed as a false narrative involving a non-existent complainant and lacked any verifiable details such as date, location, or evidence.
Allegations of Threats and Personal Harm
Rashid also said the campaign led to serious personal and professional consequences, including threats and harassment.
He claimed he received death threats, abusive messages, and threats of violence against him and his family. He also alleged that his personal information was leaked, leading to harassment calls, including from abroad.
#Update on the unprovoked campaign of #slander & #communalhate launched against me by some practising #advocates.
After a 300-day inquiry, #NHRC has closed the case as #DelhiPolice found no grounds for action.
The truth is now on record. Accountability is next.
My Statement👇 pic.twitter.com/1lakN33Bbe— Omar Rashid (@omar7rashid) May 6, 2026Also ReadGPS-Enabled Smartwatch Mandatory for Indian Hajj Pilgrims Draws Complaints Over Technical Issues
“My private details were compromised, leading to threatening calls and messages,” he said.
He added that even his late mother was targeted in online abuse, which he called deeply distressing.
Claims of Misuse of Legal Process
Rashid further alleged that the campaign was intended to misuse legal and institutional processes to harass him.
He said the posts were designed to trigger communal tensions using sensitive narratives and that the matter was later found to be baseless during official inquiries.
According to him, multiple investigations, including those by the Delhi Police and internal reviews, ultimately found no evidence supporting the allegations.
Case Officially Closed
With no response from the complainant and no supporting evidence found, both the Delhi Police and the NHRC concluded that the matter did not require further action.
The Commission formally closed the case, bringing an end to a prolonged inquiry that lasted nearly a year.
