Police arrested BSc student from Jharkhand for spreading false schedule of Lok Sabha elections

New Delhi: 

A 21-year-old man was arrested for allegedly publishing fake news about the upcoming general elections schedule on his website after he received it on a WhatsApp group, police said on Tuesday.

The accused told police that he received the election schedule on a WhatsApp group, which he published on his website to increase the popularity of the website.

The accused was arrested following a complaint from the office of Chief Electoral Officer. 

According to the police, they received a complaint in January from the electoral officer mentioning that a fake news about the schedule of 2019 general elections is being circulated on various online and social media platforms.

“During investigation, we zeroed down on a website named www.mytechbuzz.in. It was found that the false schedule had published from this website. Technical investigation was conducted and we were able to identify the admin of the website as one Gomunt Kumar, a resident of Jharkhand. Kumar was pursuing his graduation in BSc from Ranchi. He was asked to join the probe in Delhi and was later arrested on January 31,” said a senior officer of cyber.

During interrogation the man revealed that he had received the election schedule on a WhatsApp group which he then published on his website to increase the popularity of the website.

Since the arrest was under bailable sections, Kumar was later released on bail.

“His devices have been seized and further investigation is under way. We are yet to check the content of the WhatsApp group from where he took that information,” said Deputy commissioner of police (cyber cell) Anyesh Roy.