Bengaluru: Airport police have arrested a social media influencer for allegedly entering the premises and recording videos with misleading claims, police officials said on Wednesday.
A complaint by a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) official, responsible for airport security, stated that the arrested 23-year-old, Vikas Gowda, entered the airport around 12.06 pm on April 7 with an Air India (AI-585) ticket.
The official said Gowda, a resident of Yelahanka, did not board the flight, but roamed around the airport recording a video using his mobile phone.
On April 12, Gowda uploaded the video to his YouTube channel (@VikasGowda1) that has nearly 1.13 lakh subscribers. In the video, he falsely claimed of having spent a full day at the airport and cast aspersions on the security arrangements.
When the CISF was informed of the video, they filed a complaint at the BIAL police station on April 15.
A senior police official said that Gowda was arrested and was allowed on station bail. “He voluntarily took down the video. His phone was seized for investigation, which can be released by approaching the court,” the officer told DH.
Police sources said that Gowda spent around four to five hours at the airport, recorded the video and left. “He did not board the flight to Chennai,” said an officer. “The ticket was valid but, prima facie, it was found that he did it for publicity.”
Gowda was booked under sections 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) and 448 (punishment for house trespass) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Further investigations are on, police said.
(Published 17 April 2024, 23:07 IST)
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