New Delhi: The Delhi Police is set to issue a notice to the Telangana unit as part of their investigation into manipulating a video featuring Union Home Minister Amit Shah which originally contained a statement indicating a commitment to abolishing reservation quotas for Muslims in Telangana, was altered to calling for the elimination of all reservation quotas.
A team from the Delhi Police will be reaching Telangana to serve the notice to individuals who tweeted this fake video. "Since INC Telangana posted it on X (formerly Twitter), notice will be served to them also," said the sources.
Earlier, Amit Malviya, the head of the BJP IT cell, had said that the Telangana Congress faction was circulating a doctored video of Amit Shah, alleging it to be entirely fabricated and capable of inciting widespread violence.
“The matter is under investigation. We are trying to trace the origin of the video and people who posted it will be questioned and notice will be served to them to participate in the probe,” said the sources.
This comes after Delhi Police on Sunday registered an FIR after two complaints were received by police, one from the BJP and another from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Following this, the Delhi Police Special Cell Cyber Wing's IFSO unit filed an FIR.
A case has been registered under Sections 153, 153A, 465, 469, and 171G of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 66C of the Information Technology (IT) Act.
According to the FIR, a copy of which is in possession of IANS, the MHA, in its complaint, stated that it has been found that "some doctored videos are being circulated by users of Facebook and Twitter".
“The video seems to be doctored, spreading misleading information with the intention of creating disharmony among communities which is likely to affect public tranquillity and public order issues. It is requested to kindly take necessary legal action as per the provisions of law," the ministry said, as per the FIR.
It also stated that a report was attached with the complaint containing details of links and handles from which the doctored videos of the Home Minister are being shared.
The controversy erupted after a video surfaced on social media purportedly showcasing Home Minister Amit Shah making statements suggesting the BJP's intention to annul reservation provisions for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).