Objectionable post against Union Min lands 5 in jail

Rajkot: Five unidentified persons have been booked for allegedly maligning the image of Union minister and BJP candidate from Rajkot Lok Sabha seat, Parshottam Rupala, through misleading images and videos using fake Instagram IDs, police said on Tuesday.

Based on a complaint lodged by BJP worker Yogesh Panchani, Rajkot Cyber Crime Cell on May 26 registered an FIR against five Instagram users who had shared such misleading posts to malign Rupala’s reputation, said Assistant Commissioner of Police, BB Basia.

“The case was registered under section 66 C of the IT Act for posting defamatory posts against Rupala,” the police officer said, adding that no arrest has been made so far.

Notably, Rupala had faced the Rajput community’s ire ahead of polls for his remarks on erstwhile rulers. Several community leaders had launched a campaign after the BJP refused to replace him as Rajkot Lok Sabha candidate.

As per the FIR, the objectionable posts were first noticed by Rupala’s PA on May 13, who sent an application to the Rajkot Police and also attached the links to the Instagram posts.