NEW DELHI: Delhi Police has registered an FIR against social media influencer Amir Shokeen over a viral video allegedly showing him making racial slurs against a youth from Tripura.The case was registered at Sadar Bazar police station under Sections 192, 196, 352 and 353 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Shokeen has previously faced cases under Sections 323, 324, 504 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).The video, which surfaced online on Tuesday evening, purportedly shows Shokeen taunting the youth over his ethnicity, asking him if he was the “president” of a neighbouring country. He allegedly mocked Tripura when the youth said he was Indian and also referred to him as “Chinese”. The clip triggered widespread condemnation, with political parties in Tripura demanding legal action against the influencer.Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha directed the state Director General of Police to coordinate with Delhi Police and ensure a proper investigation. CPM state secretary and Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury demanded an apology from Shokeen, while Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman called for a joint protest in Delhi, describing the alleged conduct as intolerable.The Youth Tipra Federation also lodged a complaint against Shokeen, accusing him of hate speech and making defamatory remarks. James Debbarma, the organisation’s general secretary and an elected member of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council, alleged that Shokeen had made crude and vulgar remarks, called the youth “Chinese” and mocked the state’s name. Members of the Twipra Students’ Federation said they planned to meet the Delhi Police commissioner on Thursday.Amid the growing criticism, Shokeen issued an apology in a video posted on social media. He said the video was intended as a joke and sought forgiveness from the people of Tripura and Chief Minister Manik Saha. He also claimed that the clip was scripted and that the youth was an acquaintance who worked at a friend’s cafe in Ahmedabad.In the apology video, Shokeen said he had made a mistake, claimed that he had deleted the video and asked those who were offended to forgive him. He also said he had never intended to hurt any community. However, his apology came amid continued demands for action over the alleged racial abuse.
