Police complaints filed against Wall Street Journal for 'spreading fake news' on death of IB officer Ankit Sharma

Complaints have been filed with the Delhi police and the Maharashtra police against Wall Street Journal for "defaming particular religion & spreading communal tension".

According to Prasar Bharati, the complaints are in connection to "misreporting" on the violence in Delhi and the death of IB officer Ankit Sharma.

The WSJ report in question was published on February 26.

The WSJ report said: "Mr Sharma was returning home when a group of rioters started throwing stones and charged into the street near where his house is located, his brother said." The report then quoted the brother, Ankur Sharma, as saying: "They came armed with stones, rods, knives and even swords; they shouted 'Jai Shri Ram'..."

Prasar Bharati says Ankur Sharma told them he "never gave such a statement to Wall Street Journal". Sharma called this a "ploy to defame my brother and my family".

As several media reports point out, Ankit Sharma's family reportedly blames AAP leader Tahir Hussain for the IB officer's death. Times Now cited the FIR filed in the matter, saying "family members of the victim said that they suspect Hussain and those present in his office for the brutal killing of Sharma and called for a criminal probe into the matter".

The Delhi police registered a case of rioting and murder against Hussain on February 27.