Mumbai: Film producer Ashoke Pandit filed an FIR against two unknown individuals for alleged defamation at Juhu police station on October 9. Before filing the case, Pandit sent a letter to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, regarding an individual who posted false information about his health on Twitter and created a fake Twitter account in his name. In the letter, he mentioned the Twitter handle @NiravModi (Parody a/c), whose original name was Dr. Nimo Yadav, spreading false news about his health. This caused considerable concern among his friends, family, and the film industry. Pandit sent this letter to the Chief Minister on October 3, and on October 9, he filed the case at Juhu Police station.
Speaking with FPJ, Ashoke Pandit said that the police should arrest the person who spread misinformation about his health and caused unrest in the film industry. "I already wrote a letter to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, about this. Other organisations in the film industry also wrote to the Chief Minister, urging strict action against Dr. Nimo Yadav for circulating false news," he said.
Fake news around Pandit's depression
According to the FIR, on October 2, Dr. Nimo Yadav tweeted about Ashoke Pandit, stating that he had fallen into depression and incurred debts. Reportedly, two days earlier, he had a heart attack and was admitted to the hospital, but nobody inquired about his well-being. The accused created a fake account named 'Brahmin Ashoke,' impersonating Ashoke Pandit to comment on his own post. On this fake account, he wrote, "Hello, Dr. Nimo Yadav, I am Ashoke Pandit, and this is my second account because Twitter suspended my previous one. I want to thank you from the bottom of my fragile heart because you were right! Nobody kept in touch with me, even when I did so much for them."
On October 3, the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association, Indian Film and Television Directors' Association, and the Federation of Western India Cine Employees also sent a letter to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, requesting strict action against Dr. Nimo Yadav, as his dissemination of false news had caused panic in the industry. Ashoke Pandit is an important figure in the film industry, actively involved in the day-to-day workings of IMPPA and IFTDA.
Based on the written complaint submitted by Pandit, the case was filed under sections 500 (defamation) of the IPC Act and 66 (c) of the Information Technology Act on October 9.
