West Bengal Police has registered a case against news outlet Maktoob over a social media post reporting Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra’s allegations that senior Muslim IAS and IPS officers were excluded from meetings and official duties during Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visits to West Bengal.
The FIR was registered at the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station on September 19 following a complaint by Saurav Banerjee. It names “Unknown1” as the accused and does not name any Maktoob journalist or editor.
The case concerns a post on Maktoob’s X account and another post on its YouTube channel about Moitra’s allegations. Police have described the information in the post as false and, in a letter to X, called it “entirely fabricated” and “malicious”.
The FIR alleges that the posts contained “objectionable graphical content” and remarks that could promote enmity and disturb public tranquillity. These are allegations made in the complaint and have not been established by a court.
The case has been registered under Sections 196(1), 299, 353(1)(b), 353(1)(c), 353(2) and 356(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, covering offences including alleged promotion of enmity, outraging religious feelings, statements causing public mischief and defamation.
Police Seek Maktoob Account Details From X
Maktoob said it learned about the FIR after receiving a communication from X. Police have sought account creation and login information linked to the @MaktoobMedia account, along with Android device configuration details.
The police request seeks login information for February 1 to 5, 2026. Maktoob has questioned the request, noting that the period predates both the FIR and the events reported in the post.
The outlet also reported that Meta removed a graphic carousel containing Moitra’s allegations from Instagram in India on September 19 following a legal demand under the Information Technology Rules.
Mahua Moitra Had Alleged Exclusion of Muslim Officers
Moitra first raised the allegations publicly on September 1. She claimed that senior Muslim IAS and IPS officers were deliberately excluded from official meetings and protocol duties during Shah’s visits to West Bengal in July and August.
The officers named by Moitra included Siliguri Police Commissioner Syed Waqar Raza, West Bengal STF chief Jawed Shamim and IAS officer Khalil Ahmed. Her allegations have also been reported by other media outlets.
According to Moitra, Raza was asked to leave a border security meeting during Shah’s July 18 visit to Siliguri. She also alleged that he was excluded from the official protocol for the visit.
Moitra further alleged that Shamim was not allowed to attend meetings related to border security and law and order, while Ahmed was asked to leave a meeting on law and order and disaster preparedness.
She said similar exclusions occurred during Shah’s August visit and argued that the repeated incidents could not be explained as routine protocol issues.
The allegations remain disputed. West Bengal Police had earlier registered a separate FIR against Moitra over her September 1 social media post.
Minority Commission Seeks Report From Bengal Government
Moitra later submitted a complaint to the National Commission for Minorities on September 18, alleging religious discrimination against senior Muslim IAS and IPS officers during Shah’s visits.
On September 21, the commission sought a report from the West Bengal government within 10 days on her complaint.
Moitra has also approached UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues Nicolas Levrat over the allegations, asking for an explanation from the government and preservation of records related to Shah’s visits.
The latest FIR against Maktoob concerns its reporting of these allegations. While police have called the report fabricated, the National Commission for Minorities has separately sought the West Bengal government’s response to Moitra’s complaint. The allegations themselves have not been adjudicated by a court.
