Agartala: The Tripura High Court has dismissed a writ petition filed by MLA Ranjit Debbarma seeking a direction to police to register an FIR against Headline Tripura editor Pranab Sarkar under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and the Information Technology Act, 2000.
In his order, Justice T Amarnath Goud held that the allegations made in the complaint did not prima facie attract offences under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act or the IT Act. The court upheld a communication dated November 8, 2025, issued by the police authority declining to register an FIR.
The court observed that a mere allegation regarding preparation of a fake birth certificate and a Bangladeshi voter ID card in the petitioner’s name would not automatically invoke provisions of the SC/ST Act. It noted that the petitioner had failed to produce supporting documents or prima facie material to establish that any offence under the Act had been committed, or that there was intent to insult or intimidate him on the ground of his Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe status.
Regarding the IT Act, the court recorded that after a preliminary inquiry, police found no prima facie case under Sections 66-C, 66-D, 67 or 67-A. It stated that the complaint did not allege publication of obscene material, identity theft, cheating by personation, or misuse of electronic credentials.
The court further observed that the petitioner had not exhausted alternative remedies available under the BNSS, 2023 before approaching the High Court. Dismissing the writ petition, it granted liberty to approach the competent Magistrate under appropriate legal provisions, if so advised.
