New Delhi, Oct 22:
Delhi Police has arrested content creator Amir Shokeen in connection with alleged racial slurs and public humiliation of a tribal youth from Tripura, after a video went viral on social media.
The case has been registered at Sadar Bazar Police Station under Sections 192, 196, 352, and 353 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) which cover provocation with intent to cause a riot, promoting enmity between groups, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, and statements conducing to public mischief.
According to allegations, Shokeen referred to the youth as the “President of China” and taunted him by calling him Chinese, mocked and subjected him to public humiliation. The clip also allegedly showed inappropriate physical contact. The incident has triggered widespread outrage and strong reactions across the Northeast and Delhi.
Delhi Police registered the case after taking suo motu cognisance and on a formal complaint by the Tripura Students Forum Delhi (TSFD). The forum sought urgent intervention over alleged sexual assault, harassment and racially derogatory remarks.
Police said Shokeen was apprehended in Karol Bagh, where he was hiding at a relative’s residence. Earlier his location was traced to Shahdara but he kept changing locations. He was arrested in the evening with technical surveillance assistance by Sadar Bazar Police.
North District DCP Niharika Bhatt said Shokeen is a bad character of the Sadar Bazar area and had previously been involved in multiple cases of brawling.
The accused reportedly has previous criminal cases registered against him under IPC Sections 323, 324, 504 and 506 pertaining to voluntarily causing hurt, hurt by dangerous weapons, intentional insult and criminal intimidation.
Earlier, Shokeen apologised after the video surfaced. In a Facebook post, he claimed that the video was scripted and that the man featured was known to him, had previously worked at a friend’s cafe in Ahmedabad and described it as a humorous video where both were joking. He said he had no intention of insulting anyone. Tripura Police has disputed his claim that it was scripted.
Tripura Police has also lodged a separate case and dispatched a team to Delhi to coordinate. Tripura DGP G.S. Rao said he personally coordinated with senior Delhi Police officials.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Tripura CM Manik Saha had called for strict action, with Rijiju saying on X that the accused will be punished and Delhi and Tripura Police will teach him a hard lesson.
