New Delhi (PTI): A court here has directed Delhi Police to register an FIR against journalist Rana Ayyub for allegedly making some derogatory posts in 2016-17 that included "insults to Hindu deities, spreading of anti-India sentiment and incitement of religious disharmony."

The court said the plea before it disclosed the commission of cognisable offences, and directed the city police to investigate the matter "fairly".

Chief Judicial Magistrate Himanshu Raman Singh was hearing an application filed by an advocate seeking the court's directions to register an FIR against Ayyub. The plea alleged that Ayyub made derogatory posts on social media platform X.

It claimed that the posts included "insults to Hindu deities, spreading of anti-India sentiment and incitement of religious disharmony."

In an order dated January 25, the court said, "From the facts of the case, prima facie cognisable offences are made out under sections 153 A (punishment for promoting enmity between different groups on the ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.), 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 505 (statements conducing public mischief) of the IPC."

It said that ordering an investigation was expedient considering the allegations' gravity.

"The facts pleaded by the complainant are such which necessitate intervention of the state machinery in the form of police investigation and the complainant (advocate) would not be in a position to collect evidence," the court said.

It directed the station house officer (SHO) of the cyber police station in South Delhi to convert the contents of the complaint into an FIR and "investigate the matter fairly."

The matter has been posted on Tuesday for receiving a compliance report.