Lockdown: 258 offences in Maha for rumours, fake news; 57 held

Mumbai, Apr 22 () The cyber wing of the MaharashtraPolice has registered 258 offences for spreading rumours,misinformation, fake news and inciting communal hatred onsocial media platforms during the lockdown, and arrested 57persons in this connection, an official said on Wednesday.

The cyber wing has been continuously monitoring theonline activities of social media users during the lockdownthat has been imposed to contain the spread of the COVID-19.

"At least 57 persons, who used the social mediaplatforms for spreading misinformation and lies, have beenarrested by the police across the state," the official said.

Of the total number of registered offences, 114 arerelated to WhatsApp forwards, whereas 90 others are aboutobjectionable posts that were shared on Facebook, he said.

Beed district has registered the highest number of 27offences, whereas Pune Rural is at the second spot with 20such cases. Seventeen and 16 cases were registered in Mumbaiand Kolhapur respectively, the official said.

In a recent case at Thane Rural area, a man was bookedfor making a video of a quarantined man when he was beingtaken in an ambulance, he said, adding that the accused hadattached fake information with it on social media, he said.

In another offence at Tiroda in Gondia district, theaccused gave misinformation related to timings of opening ofshops in the area, he said. DCNP NP