KOCHI: Police have started an investigation against Manraj Meena, a Rajasthan native, who allegedly created a fake WhatsApp link in the name of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and circulated it on social media platforms. Ernakulam Central Police registered the case against Manraj Meena after it was found that he was circulating a fake WhatsApp link in the name of the CM on Telegram and WhatsApp.
A WhatsApp link is a URL. If one clicks it, a WhatsApp chat will be initiated without even saving the number of the message sender. The WhatsApp link can be circulated through other websites, messaging apps and emails. The fake link came to the notice of Kerala Police’s Cyberdome while carrying out cyber patrolling last month. Later, Cyberdome personnel started tracking the details of the account holder to identify the mobile phone number of Manraj.
“First a fake account carrying the name and profile picture of the CM was found on Telegram. Later, the investigation led Cyber experts to a WhatsApp link which was created using the mobile phone number of Manraj. The WhatsApp link was sent to many WhatsApp users. We are verifying whether any other illegal activities were carried out using the fake accounts,” a police officer said.
The investigation has been extended to Rajasthan to check whether any fake SIM card was used for creating fake profiles and accounts on social media platforms.
“We have to verify whether there is an identity theft behind it. It has to be verified whether any other persons procured the SIM card using the identity proof of the person. Our team is tracking the person and his social media activities,” he said.
In August 2022, Kochi Cyber Police registered a case against an unidentified person who created a fake WhatsApp account in CM’s name.
The fake account holder sent a message to an IPS officer seeking money. Several ministers, bureaucrats and top officials in the state were similarly targeted by cyber fraudsters. Police had arrested a minor from Rajasthan who created a fake Facebook profile of IPS officer P Vijayan and tried to extort money in 2021.