The Maharashtra Cyber Cell recently arrested a 39-year-old man from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, for allegedly posting offensive content on social media platforms targeting religious sentiments. The arrest followed the circulation of digitally manipulated images and videos that allegedly portrayed Hindu deities in an offensive manner. The accused has been remanded to police custody until May 13.
The accused allegedly operated social media handlers under multiple aliases, including ‘Rahim Kasai’, ‘Rahim Ansari’, ‘Dr Suja Rajput’ and ‘Rizwan Pathan’. These accounts were found to be working in coordination to disseminate derogatory content across platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, online marketplaces, and pornographic websites.
The police seized his mobile phone and various identity documents. Despite the use of a VPN to obscure his digital footprint, forensic tools enabled the recovery of deleted content from his device. The cyber cell is continuing its interrogation and technical analysis.
The authorities believe the accused was not acting alone and suspect the involvement of a gang operating across India. Due to the ongoing investigation, the police have chosen not to disclose the accused’s name at this stage.
The matter came to light when Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni brought it to the attention of the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who subsequently alerted the Maharashtra Cyber Cell.
The cyber police have registered a case under Sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on religious grounds), 294 (dealing with obscene acts and songs), and 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant sections of the Information Technology Act.
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