ISLAMABAD - Judge Dr Mumtaz Hanjra of Judicial Complex Rawalpindi dropped the FIR filed against The Nation crime reporter Israr A. Rajpoot and ordered to release him from court on Monday. The judge wrote in the order that, application under section 153-A PPC can be filed by a private person or independent complainant and FIR can be filed by the order of provincial or federal government. The FIR against Mr. Rajpoot was filed by DFC of police station. The Judge further said that the accused is a journalist and he admitted his mistake and deleted the alleged tweet. Moreover, there’s no mans rea found on behalf of the accused and I.O. of the police has admitted that tweet was deleted. An FIR was registered against Israr Rajpoot on Sunday last at the police station Pirwadhai, Rawalpindi under section 153-A PPC that is non-bailable and can award imprisonment upto 5 years for inciting religious hatred in society. Israr Rajpoot was accused of posting a tweet on X which, according to the police, incited sectarianism and created law and order situation in the area. The tweet was deleted after 20 minutes. When Israr Rajpoot was produced in the court on Monday, I.O. Wajid of Punjab Police sought his 14-day judicial remand from the court since they’ve already captured Mr. Rajpoot’s cell phone during initial arrest. When the judge read the FIR, he asked Mr. Rajpoot, are you spreading fake news to which Mr. Rajpoot replied it was a mistake. Advocate Masood Shah, lawyer of Israr Rajpoot, argued before the court that there was misunderstanding and this FIR can’t be registered by DFC of a police station. I.O. Wajid admitted in the court that he follows Israr Rajpoot on X and he saw the tweet by the accused which was later deleted.