Bhatkal: A person was arrested and later released for being an admin of a WhatsApp group, when a member of his group shared morphed images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 2nd May, Tuesday.
He has been identified as Krishna Sannatamma Naik (30), who works as an auto-rickshaw driver. It has recently come to light that he is a BJP worker. He was arrested on Monday and booked under Information Technology Act, 2000.
Last year a government order was issued stating, “the group administrator of a social media group is held liable for prosecution if rumors, fake news or misleading information is circulated on it.”
According to the sources, Krishna Naik had created a WhatsApp group called ‘D Balse Boys’ and added his friends from Doddabalse village, near Murudeshwar in Bhatkal taluk of Uttara Kannada district.
Recently a complaint was lodged by a member of the group Anand Manjunath Naik stating that some members were posting morphed pictures of PM in the group. Following the complaint, Ganesh Naik, member of the group who posted such photos was arrested by police along with Krishna Naik but later received bail.
Another member who was involved in this matter, Balakrishna Naik, has gone underground. Police source said, “when BJP members held a protest outside the police station seeking strict action against the alleged culprits, they didn't realize that the group was managed by one of their own.”
The incident was confirmed by Murudeshwar police officer Bheem Singh Lamani. President of Bhatkal unit of BJP and an advocate, Rajesh Naik, said that the administrator was unaware of the members' activities.