BJP Mumbai unit spokesman arrested for spreading false news via Twitter, released
MUMBAI: Mumbai police on Friday arrested the spokesperson of BJP's city unit Suresh Nakhua for allegedly defaming and spreading rumours on Twitter over the cremation of an 'alive person' allegedely by the city civic body. However, he was released after taking his statement.
A resident of Ghatkopar locality, Nakhua had tweeted a video stating an alive man was taken to a crematorium by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). "This is beyond shocking. A LIVING man was taken to cremation centre by BMC. I think there might be some #MahaVasuliTarget from cremation centres by #MahaVasuliAghadi govt," Nakhua said in his tweet.
When a BMC official approached to BJP spokesperson and asked about the locations and other details, he could not provide satisfactory answers to them and hence, the BMC registered against a case at the city's Bhoiwada police station whose officials arrested him.
After realizing his mistake, the BJP spokesperson apologized for his tweet. "I had uploaded a video on 20/04/2021 showing a living man being taken to the crematorium. I was not aware of the location of the incident and could not verify it. This video was tweeted as it disturbed me immensely & to alert the authorities. @mybmc @CPMumbaiPolice," he wrote in another tweet saying he did not intend to cause panic among public.
However, in between he also alleged that the Maharashtra government was allegedly targeting him by sending various officials to question him. "It seems after targetting Sameet Thakkar and Sunaina Holey, Maharashtra Govt is after me. In the last 24 hours, they have deployed BMC JMC, DMC, Medical Officers, Police Insps of Bhoiwada, Sakinaka police stns to question me. I am here and going nowhere," he wrote.