Uttarakhand police have registered a case against the administrators of three social media pages for allegedly spreading false news suggesting that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami would be removed from his post. The action followed a complaint by Siddharth Agarwal, president of the BJP’s Dehradun district unit.
According to our correspondent, the complaint specifically named the Facebook pages Janata Jan Andolan Irritated, Uttarakhand Wale, and I Love My Uttarakhand Sanskriti as the sources of the misleading posts.
“It is maligning the image of public figures, as such misinformation being spread across social media holds no ground. So far, it has been found that these misleading posts were uploaded by three Facebook pages… Strict action should be taken against the administrators of these pages.”
Legal Sections Invoked
Police have booked the case under:
Section 353(1)(b) and Section 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS): For making statements likely to cause public mischief or alarm.
Section 54 of the Disaster Management Act: For spreading false alarms or misinformation during disaster situations.
Our correspondent adds that the authorities believe such fake posts could disturb public order at a sensitive time, especially when the state is grappling with disaster management during the monsoon season.
Clarification and Cyber Crime Investigation
Senior police officials clarified that the posts had no factual basis and that Chief Minister Dhami continues to hold his position with the full backing of his party and government. The cyber crime unit has been tasked with tracing the individuals behind the accounts and determining whether coordinated efforts were involved in spreading the misinformation.
Wider Warning Against Fake News
The case reflects growing concern over the spread of fake news on social media in Uttarakhand. Police have issued a warning that strict legal action will be taken against those found circulating unverified or misleading content about the government or disaster situations.
