Karnataka cops file 37 cases for 'derogatory' social media posts targeting politicians

Records show that 37 FIRs/cases have been registered against social media users for posts containing disinformation or falsehoods targeting politicians, especially Congress and its leaders.

Karnataka police have registered 37 cases/FIRs for 'derogatory' social media posts targeting politicians, mostly Congress leaders, this year.

This was revealed in a reply given by Home Minister G Parameshwara in the state assembly on July 23. He was responding to a query raised by Congress leader and Tiptur MLA K Shadakshari on the action taken against those spreading false information about public representatives on social media.

Also, read: FIR registered against Nadda, Amit Malviya and Vijayendra over social media post

Of the total cases/FIRs, the highest number was registered in the tech hub Bengaluru (eight), followed by Uttara Kannada (six), Chikkamagaluru (six), Udupi (five), Shivamogga (three), Mangaluru (two), and Kalaburagi (two), with one each in Ramanagara, Chikkaballapur, Belagavi, Kodagu and Gadag.

Of the 37 cases, 12 involved posts deemed 'derogatory' towards Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, and five involved Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Other cases include posts targeting politicians such as Union Minister of Heavy Industries and former CM HD Kumaraswamy (JDS), Deputy CM and state Congress chief DK Shivakumar, IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge, BJP state president BY Vijayendra, BJP rebel leader KS Eshwarappa, BJP leader and former Union Minister of State Anant Kumar Hegde, and others.

Bengaluru city police commissioner B Dayananda told Moneycontrol: “We are taking action against hate posts on social media based on inputs received either through police stations or from the state fact-check unit. Our intelligence division also has a separate internal fact-check unit to monitor social media posts.”

It was also revealed that most of these cases are still under investigation. These cases were filed before the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita came into effect on July 1, 2024. The cases primarily involve sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 153A (promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion, race, or language), 295 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), and 505 (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred, or ill-will between classes). Additionally, Section 67 of the Information Technology Act (transmitting obscene material in electronic form) has also been invoked.

Also, read: Fake news, IT Rule causes uproar in civil society; Editor's Guild seeks expunction of draft amendment

In one case, an FIR was registered at the Napoklu police station in Kodagu district against a social media post targeting CM Siddaramaiah. Subsequently, a charge sheet was filed in court. At a Lok Adalat hearing, the accused agreed to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 to settle the case.

Karnataka’s fact-checking unit monitors social media posts

Meanwhile, the BJP has accused the Congress of using the state government’s fact-checking unit for political vendetta.

BJP spokesperson Surabhi Hodigere criticised the Congress party's establishment of a fact-checking unit in Karnataka for its lack of transparency in criteria, politically biased vendor selection, and defiance of Supreme Court orders.

"Despite the Supreme Court's stay order against a central fact-checking unit, the Karnataka government persists with its own, showing blatant disregard for judicial authority. The BJP is pursuing legal action to ensure compliance with judicial directives," she said.

Also, read: Karnataka government’s fact-check unit to combat fake news now operational

Karnataka's fact-checking unit called Information Disorder Tackling Unit (IDTU), established to combat fake news and misinformation, especially on social media, began operations in March 2024. A portal (satya.karnataka.gov.in) has also been launched.

IT-BT department officials said that suspicious content can be submitted for fact-checking via email, the website, and other mediums. Verified information will be published on the portal to prevent the further spread of misinformation.

IT-BT officials said that 537 fact-checks were conducted in the last 90 days, resulting in 537 cases and 18 FIRs. Sources said the state government allocated Rs 3.19 crore for the fact-checking unit, which started operations just before the Lok Sabha election model code of conduct came into effect.

The state government has selected four firms—Gauri Media, Logically Infomedia Private Ltd, Trylika Technology Ltd, and Newsplus Communications—for the IDTU operations. The IDTU consists of three teams: a fact-checking team, an analytics team, and a capacity-building team.

Also, read: Karnataka government announces framework for fact-checking unit to tackle misinformation

In August 2023, the Editors Guild of India had urged state government to ensure such units are independent of executive control and that their scope and powers are specified so as to not trample upon press freedom.

Addressing concerns raised by the Editors' Guild of India, IT-BT minister Priyank Kharge had stated that the government had no intention of suppressing legitimate criticism. "We are prepared to engage with various stakeholders, including representatives of the Press Club of India. The unit will also include members from civil society and media organisations," he said.

Also, read: Karnataka should not have notified fact-check unit on grounds of constitutional morality: Sr Advocate Sanjay Jain