Man arrested for sending offensive religious messages

MUMBAI: In a decisive action against the circulation of obscene and offensive digital content that targets religious sentiments, the Maharashtra State Cyber Department has arrested a 39-year-old man from Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The arrest follows the dissemination of manipulated images and explicit videos depicting revered Hindu deities in a vulgar and offensive manner. The case has been registered under Sections 196, 294, and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with Sections 67 and 67(A) of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000. The accused, a Bachelor of Commerce graduate currently pursuing Chartered Accountancy, was found to be operating under a fake X account identity, where he posted highly objectionable content intended to outrage religious sentiments and incite communal disharmony. Acting on intelligence inputs and through detailed technical analysis, the Maharashtra Cyber team traced the accused to Indore, where he was apprehended. His mobile phone was seized, and a comprehensive forensic examination of the device led to the discovery of six additional X accounts allegedly involved in the dissemination of similar obscene and provocative content. These accounts were found to be operating in a coordinated manner, spreading derogatory material across various platforms including Twitter, Facebook, online marketplaces, and pornographic websites. The arrested person has been remanded to police custody until May 13. Efforts are ongoing to trace the real identities of those operating the remaining fake accounts and to dismantle the wider digital network engaged in such unlawful activities.