New Delhi [India], October 14 (ANI): The Delhi Police’s Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit has launched an investigation into social media handles spreading rumours and inflammatory content during recent protests in the national capital, tracing at least one suspicious account back to Pakistan.
According to police authorities, foreign-based handles were actively attempting to provoke public disorder by circulating false claims about police action against demonstrators.
Highlighting the active monitoring measures, Additional Commissioner of Police (Addl. CP) Sanjay Bhatia told ANI, "Numerous social media posts made during the recent protests... Delhi Police’s IFSO unit has a dedicated cyber patrolling team that monitors such posts to verify their authenticity and compliance with legal provisions. If we find a post to be factually incorrect, false, a rumor, a threat to public order, defamatory, or likely to incite anarchy, we take action in accordance with the law... When we sought registration details for one such specific handle, the IP address traced back to Pakistan; we are currently investigating that case. The process is ongoing, and we have registered other cases as well; investigations are underway, and we will share further details and evidence with you as they emerge..."
Addressing a specific instance of deliberate misinformation designed to exacerbate tension on the ground, Addl. CP Bhatia revealed that a key handle spreading panic was operated from across the border.
"We found a post intended to incite chaos; the handle registered in Pakistan... It alleged that the police were opening fire on the demonstrators. It was a deliberate attempt to whip up a volatile atmosphere based on falsehoods. Since the claim was untrue, we immediately requested the post's removal and registered a case; further action is underway," he said.
Earlier in the day, Delhi Police said it arrested three Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activists, citing alleged repeated attempts to disturb public peace, violate the law and instigate others through social media to engage in similar unlawful activities.
Two of them, Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were remanded to five days of judicial custody, while Ajinkya Shinde was bound down for six months to maintain peace and good behaviour.
According to a Delhi Police statement, the action followed an incident on the morning of October 13, when the three activists and 11 other CJP members allegedly entered the denotified Jantar Mantar protest site through private premises.
Police personnel deployed at the spot intervened and attempted to stop them. However, the protesters allegedly obstructed police personnel in the discharge of their official duties, the police statement claimed.
CJP reiterated that its demand for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation remains unchanged and that it will continue to challenge the denotification of Jantar Mantar. CJP said it would not abandon its demand for electoral accountability or accept the removal of a historic protest venue as a reason to retreat from peaceful democratic action. (ANI)
"Handle registered in Pakistan": Delhi Police probe fake social media posts inciting chaos during protest
