A member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) working with its IT cell in Surat city has been arrested for posting “objectionable” posts through 19 different Facebook accounts against party city president and other party leaders. He has been sent to police remand till Tuesday.
The accused Nitesh Vanani was arrested by Surat Rural Cyber crime officials on Sunday after getting a tip-off.
Surat Rural Cyber crime branch inspector Prashant Khokhra said, “We have arrested the accused Nitesh Vanani for putting objectionable and hatred post and defaming the political leaders on social media. Such messages were sent from 19 different fake Facebook accounts of which the accused was using 12… we are trying to find out who was using the remaining ones.”
The arrest was made after social worker Vibhabhai Chosla, a resident of Jolva village in Palsana taluka of Surat district, lodged a complaint against Vanani, a resident of Surat city at Katargam area, on Friday for putting up hate posts and objectionable comments on Facebook against BJP workers and leaders.
On the bases of the details given by Chosla, Surat cyber crime officials registered offence under IPC sections 153(a), 153(b), 292, 293, 294 (b), 470, 471, 417, 419, 120 (b), 34 and IT sections 66 (d) and 67.
As per the police complaint, the accused had made different fake accounts to post the comments “defaming BJP leaders”.
Vanani, a graduate in commerce and a real estate broker by profession, was an active member of the BJP working with its IT Cell in Surat.
Following the arrest of Vanani, BJP presidents and general secretaries of various wards announced their resignation on social media.
Surat city BJP president Niranjan Janjmera said, “We have come to know that there is anger among the BJP leaders, but no one has given resignation in person.”
