Arun Reddy, a member of the Congress party who manages the 'Spirit of Congress' account on X, has been arrested by the Delhi Police for his alleged involvement in uploading and circulating a fake video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The video, which was doctored to misrepresent Shah's statements, purportedly distorted his remarks regarding reservations for Muslims in Telangana to suggest he was advocating for the abolition of all reservations.
The Delhi Police Special Cell initiated action after receiving a complaint from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), which operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), regarding the fabricated video. Arun Reddy, who serves as the national coordinator of Congress's social media cell, is accused of creating and disseminating the video. Additionally, he is alleged to have attempted to tamper with evidence by deleting content from his mobile phone.
Following his arrest, the Delhi Police confiscated Reddy's mobile phone and submitted it for forensic examination to gather further evidence. Meanwhile, the Hyderabad Police also arrested five social media activists associated with the Telangana Congress in connection with the same fake video. These individuals were subsequently granted bail with conditions, including regular appearances before the investigating officer.
The doctored video, which was posted on the Telangana Congress's X account, prompted a complaint from a state BJP leader. The police registered a case against the accused under various sections, including forgery, circulating rumors, and spreading false information. Although the video was removed from the Telangana Congress's X handle upon notification, the incident attracted significant attention, leading to further legal action.
In a related development, the Delhi Police summoned Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for questioning regarding the matter. This incident follows a recent action where the Jharkhand Congress's X account was withheld by the platform after it shared a similar fake video involving Amit Shah, highlighting the ongoing challenges surrounding misinformation and social media manipulation in political discourse.
