Techie held for 'spread-the-virus' post followed Zakir Naik: Police

A software engineer arrested for uploading a “sadistic” post on Facebook about spreading coronavirus followed controversial Muslim preacher Zakir Naik on social media, the police say.

Mujeeb Mohammad was arrested by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) and Electronics City police on Friday for the alleged post that reads: “Let’s join hands, go out and sneeze with open mouth in public. Spread the virus.”

Mahesh Mallayyanavar, a sub-inspector at the Electronics City police station, has filed a complaint against Mohammad. Accordingly, he has been booked under IPC Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence and language), 505 (statements conducting to public mischief), 270 (a malignant act to spread the infection of disease dangerous to life) and 109 (abetment, if the act abetted, is committed in consequence of the
abetment).

Mohammad, a senior technology architect at Infosys, was fired after the technology giant found the post to be against its code of conduct.

Upon his arrest, Mohammad reportedly told the police that he was 40 years old, but later gave his age as 36. The police are questioning him at an undisclosed location.

A police officer said Mohammad followed Naik, watching, liking and sharing the preacher’s speeches. “He is into the habit of posting messages that hurt the religious sentiments of other communities,” the officer claimed.

Another of Mohammad’s posts reads: “My stun gun is ready-killing dogs”.