5 fake Twitter accounts in LG’s name blocked

A day after the LG office had asked the Delhi Police to investigate into the fake Twitter accounts operated by unidentified individuals impersonating the newly inducted Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, the micro-blogging site has suspended five such fake accounts, police said on Tuesday. Furthermore, legal action is also being mulled against the accused. 

When the stream of tweets against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal came to light, the police identified two such accounts. The Twitter handle @AnilBaijal_ was suspended on Monday night itself.

The two Twitter handles identified by the LG office are @AnilBaijal_LG and @AnilBaijal_ had come online on December 28, the day Baijal joined office. Four other accounts were identified which had garnered several hundred followers that were suspended. However, the Cyber Cell branch of Delhi Police have not received a formal written complaint into the matter and no FIR has still been registered in the case during the writing of this report.

The police had also written to the micro-blogging site, much before they received instructions from the LG office, asking the site to tell the police about the log in details of the Twitter accounts. 

“We have written to the concerned authorities in Twitter and asked them to take down those accounts. Five accounts have so far been suspended and we are looking at legal action which will be initiated against the accused,” said a senior police official privy to the investigation.

Several of these fake handles came online even before Baijal was appointed as the LG. The previous LG, Najeeb Jung, never had a Twitter account. 

However, the imposters are completely abreast with the tussle between the ex-LG and the Delhi government. 

“Jung has left behind 400 files of the Delhi government. Now, I am in a dilemma as to whether to approve or return them,” read one tweet by fake handle @AnilBaijal_. 

However, many Twitter users had taken screenshots of the account and posted it on several social networking sites.

Many of the tweets show the imposter, thanking the people of Delhi and the Prime Minister. Later, a series of tweets were posted applauding the demonetisation move by the Central government.