Dehradun Police Act Against Facebook Page Admins for Spreading Rumors on Chief Minister's Position

Police Action on Social Media Rumors

The police in Dehradun have filed a first information report against three administrators of Facebook pages for allegedly disseminating false information regarding the potential replacement of the Uttarakhand chief minister, as reported by a local news outlet.

The misinformation was reportedly shared by the Facebook pages titled “I Love My Uttarakhand Sanskriti”, “Uttarakhand Wale”, and “Janata Jan Andolan Irritated”. The complaint leading to the FIR was lodged by Siddhartha Agarwal, who serves as the district president for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

According to the chief minister’s office, during a time when areas like Bageshwar, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, and Pithoragarh are grappling with disasters, the spread of false news regarding a change in leadership disrupts both relief efforts and governmental operations.

Recent heavy rainfall and multiple cloudbursts have resulted in flash floods across various districts in Uttarakhand, causing fatalities and leaving many individuals unaccounted for.

The chief minister’s office issued a stern warning to those engaging in social media mischief, stating that spreading rumors or misleading information will lead to severe legal consequences. They emphasized that the state police is actively monitoring social media platforms.

Ajai Singh, the Senior Superintendent of Police in Dehradun, confirmed that the FIR was filed under specific sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, which address causing public fear or alarm and spreading false information intended to incite enmity or hatred among communities.

Additionally, provisions from the Disaster Management Act were invoked for creating or disseminating false alarms or warnings about disasters, which can incite panic.