SSR case: Man held for online videos spreading fake news

A man has been arrested for uploading videos on YouTube which were allegedly spreading fake news in connection with the case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death and defaming the Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police, an official said on Sunday.

The action was taken by the Mumbai Police's cyber wing against the accused, Omar Sarvagnya, after the videos were found to be defamatory and damaging the image of the state government and the city police, he said.

A case was registered against him last month under Indian Penal Code Sections 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill will between classes), 500 (defamation), 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), the police official said.

"We found the videos to be defamatory and damaging the image of the Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police. Following an investigation, we issued summons to him under section 41(A) of the Criminal Procedure Code to appear before the investigating officer," he said.

The accused was subsequently arrested and later released on bail, the official said.

Rajput (34) was found hanging in his flat in Bandra area here on June 14 following which the Mumbai Police registered a case of accidental death and recorded statements of over 50 people.

Various angles surrounding the actor's death are currently being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).