A court in Leh has dismissed charges against former Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Tej Singh Tanwar, who had been accused of defaming the Shia community in Ladakh. The case stemmed from a 2021 television interview where Tanwar allegedly linked the Shia community to a militant group active in Kashmir in the 1990s.
Anjuman Imamia, a religious organization in Leh, filed a police complaint, resulting in Tanwar being charged under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including defamation and the deliberate wounding of religious sentiments.
During the trial, Chief Judicial Magistrate Tsewang Phuntsog ruled that there was no mention of the Shia community in the records provided by the media outlet. The court concluded that Tanwar’s comments didn’t target the Shia community of Ladakh, closing the case related to defamation and hurting religious sentiments.
Tanwar’s defense team had also argued that the charges under Section 188 of the IPC, which deal with disobedience to orders by public servants, were not applicable since no such order was issued concerning his statements. Furthermore, the alleged comments were made outside Leh, adding another layer of complexity to the case.
The court ultimately agreed with the defense, ruling that there was insufficient evidence to proceed under any of the charges.
