Archive · 4 Sep 2026
Ex-Civil Servant Says Police Focused on Earlier Home Ministry Post
Former government official Ashish Joshi was questioned by Delhi Police for almost nine hours.
The police had summoned him over a post he made about elections in West Bengal.
Joshi said many questions were instead about an older post involving the Home Minister and Home Secretary.
Police wanted to know where he got that information.
Joshi refused to reveal his source.
He was also asked what he meant by mentioning a “Nuremberg-style trial.”
Joshi said he meant that people who harmed the Constitution should be held responsible.
Police said the case involved possible provocation that could lead to a riot.
Former civil servant Ashish Joshi said Delhi Police questioned him for nearly nine hours.
Joshi said 60–70% of the questions concerned his August 12 post about the Home Minister and Home Secretary.
Police said the questioning related to a case registered under Section 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The summons formally concerned Joshi’s August 26 post about West Bengal elections and electoral-roll revision.
Joshi declined to identify his information source and explained his reference to a “Nuremberg-style trial.”
- Who
- Former civil servant Ashish Joshi was questioned by officers of the Delhi Police Special Cell.
- What
- He was questioned about social-media posts concerning the Home Minister, Home Secretary, West Bengal elections and electoral-roll revision.
- When
- Joshi was questioned on Wednesday and discussed his account on Thursday; the posts were dated August 12 and August 26.
- Where
- He was picked up near his home and questioned at the Special Cell’s Counter Intelligence unit office in New Friends Colony, Delhi.
- Why
- Police said the questioning related to a case registered under Section 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita concerning alleged provocation likely to cause a riot.
Joshi’s Account
Police’s Stated Position
Focus of questioning
Joshi’s Account
Joshi said most questions focused on his August 12 post about an alleged disagreement between the Home Minister and Home Secretary, rather than the post named in the summons.
Police’s Stated Position
Police said Joshi was questioned in connection with a case concerning his August 26 post; the police did not publicly respond to his account of the questioning.
Nature of the case
Joshi’s Account
Joshi described the August 26 post as criticism of the electoral process and said his Nuremberg reference meant constitutional violations should be punished.
Police’s Stated Position
Police said the case was registered under Section 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which concerns provocation intended or known to be likely to cause a riot.
- Person questioned
- Ashish Joshi, a former Controller of Communications in the Department of Telecommunications
- Questioning duration
- Nearly nine hours
- Police case
- Registered under Section 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
- Joshi’s estimate
- He said 60–70% of questions concerned his August 12 post
- Stated summons subject
- His August 26 post about West Bengal elections and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
- Source disclosure
- Joshi said he declined to reveal the source of information behind his August 12 post
- Police response
- Delhi Police spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan did not respond to requests for comment on Joshi’s claims