India says no decision yet on complaint seeking deportation of Wall Street Journal journalist Eric Bellman for misreporting Delhi riots

"A complaint was registered against Mr.Eric Bellman by a private individual on Government's Online Grievance Redressal platform. Referring the complaint to the related office is a routine matter as per the standard procedure. No such decision on deportation has been taken by the Ministry of External Affairs," said the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar in a statement on Friday.

In his complaint to Minister of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Legal Rights Observatory's Vinay Joshi sought immediate deportation of Bellman for misreporting Delhi riots which broke out in the last week of February.

WSJ had quoted Ankur Sharma, the brother of slain IB official Ankit Sharma saying that Ankit was killed by a mob chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' though a Muslim politician belonging to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was later accused of the crime and arrested.

Reports said that the American publication is being probed for the report titled “India’s Ruling Party, Government Slammed Over Delhi Violence” which claims 'rioters armed with stones, rods, knives and even sword' had stormed into the street where Sharma's home was situated, quoting Ankur. WSJ quoted Ankur saying, "they shouted 'Jai Shri Ram' [Glory to Lord Ram]; some even wore helmets".

However, Ankur has rejected that he ever said it to WSJ and asserted that the publication is lying.

"I never gave such a statement to the Wall Street Journal. This is a ploy to defame my brother and my family. Wall Street Journal is lying," Ankur was quoted as saying by a Republic India report.

The Delhi Police earlier arrested suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain in connection with the killing of IB official Ankit Sharma.

Hussain, a councilor from Ward no. 59 (Nehru Vihar) of East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), has been blamed for inciting his community's people during the communal violence over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protest and leading an attack from his house's rooftop.

He, however, denied all allegations against him and claimed his house, as well as rooftop, were 'hijacked' by rioters.

While a case has been filed against Hussain, the AAP has suspended the councillor from the party.

Acting tough, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal had said, "No rioter should be spared irrespective of his political affiliation. He can belong to BJP or Congress or AAP but must be put to jail."

"If he belongs to the AAP, he must be doubly punished," the Chief Minister had added.

More than 50 people including the Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer have died  in the violence which initially had started between the protesters and supporters of the CAA but later took a communal turn.

The violence went on for 48 hours between Feb 24 and 25.

The foreign media largely termed the riots- which occurred when US president Donald Trump was visiting India- as "anti-Muslim" violence unleashed by Hindu zealots though many quarters slammed the "biased and distorted reporting" of the cycle of violence by Western media where the fatalities were reported from both sides with the number of deaths of Muslims exceeding those of Hindus.

A petition on Change.org was also filed against WSJ saying "we want The Wall Street Journal to issue an apology for spreading misinformation regarding the death of IB Officer Ankit Sharma who was killed by mob in recent Delhi Riots."