Congress leader lodges complaint against fake social media handles targeting party

Congress leader Deepthi Mary Varghese has filed a complaint with the State Police Chief, seeking action against alleged fake social media accounts spreading misinformation with the intent of defaming the party and its leadership.

Ms. Varghese, the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) general secretary in charge of media, submitted details of more than 90 fake Facebook accounts along with her complaint. She said the accounts appear to function in a coordinated manner, misleading the public and operating in ways that tarnish the image of the Congress in society.

In her complaint, she requested the police to register a case under Sections 354 and 357 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, as well as relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, against the activities carried out through such fake accounts. She said the source and operators behind the fake accounts, as well as the network involved in spreading misinformation, should be traced.