A major political and legal storm has erupted after BJP MP Dr. Nishikant Dubey hinted on social media that a journalist had started earning substantially more after speaking out against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. Although Dubey did not mention the journalist’s name, his clues clearly pointed to Abhisar Sharma, triggering widespread outrage.

The post has raised serious legal and ethical questions, especially under Section 138 of the Income Tax Act, which safeguards confidentiality of tax records, and the Official Secrets Act, which prohibits sharing classified government information. Observers have questioned how such sensitive financial data could have reached a political figure.

In response, Abhisar Sharma issued a sharp statement: "I am also filing a police case against @IncomeTaxIndia because leaking someone's income tax returns by coward @nishikant_dubey can’t happen without someone from the department. This is a violation of the Official Secrets Act. This is embarrassing for the government."

The allegations suggest that someone within the Income Tax Department may have illegally passed confidential information to the MP, raising concerns about political weaponisation of private data.

Social media erupted with support for Sharma, with many calling the incident an attack on privacy and journalistic freedom. Critics argue that targeting a journalist by leaking financial records is not only unethical but criminal, and that it highlights a worrying double standard