Punjab Police Register FIR Over Spread of Misinformation in Alleged Rape Case

Following the preliminary findings of a high-level committee formed by the Punjab government to investigate the alleged rape of a first-year female student at a private college, the police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) at Defence A Police Station. The FIR addresses the spread of misinformation and unverified news on social media concerning the incident.

The police have invoked Section 20 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, which pertains to “offences against dignity of a natural person,” alongside other charges, including Section 354 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), Section 500 (punishment for defamation), Section 501 (printing or engraving defamatory material), and Section 505 (statements inducing public mischief).

This legal action follows widespread social media outrage regarding the alleged rape, with photographs of female students circulating online. The matter escalated after students of the private college staged protests on Monday, demanding justice. The protests turned violent, with dozens of participants clashing with law enforcement, leaving many injured. Demonstrations continued across various cities in Punjab on Tuesday and Wednesday.

According to the FIR, the allegation of rape, which quickly went viral online, was thoroughly investigated. However, the female student and her family have denied that the incident ever occurred. The FIR notes that the girl sustained an injury at home on October 2, which required treatment at Lahore General Hospital and Ittefaq Hospital, followed by 15 days of bed rest. The girl’s parents confirmed that she had not attended college or any other events after the injury.

The FIR also highlights the damaging effects of the misinformation on the family’s reputation and condemns a viral video falsely claiming that a female student had been raped and was undergoing treatment in a hospital. It suggests that the spread of false news led to widespread confusion and protests, which the FIR alleges were part of a conspiracy to provoke unrest against government institutions.

The FIR further mentions the financial losses caused by the spread of unverified information, along with damage to property during the protests, as the demonstrators set fire to a location and engaged in violent behavior. Authorities are continuing their investigation into both the spread of misinformation and the protests that followed.