Hyderabad, January 14 (IANS). Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) B. Shivdhar Reddy has given a stern warning to social media platforms, saying that strict action will be taken against those involved in character assassination of anyone.
Expressing displeasure over the character assassination taking place on social media, the DGP made it clear in his statement that spreading false news, making baseless allegations against a person or his family, spreading fake information and interfering in personal life will not be tolerated at all.
He said that the police have no objection to constructive criticism and opinions given within the ambit of law, but if lies and rumors are spread by misusing social media, strict action will be taken against the people concerned.
The DGP reminded that after assuming the charge of DGP last year, he had issued guidelines regarding the use of social media and had made it clear that strict action would be taken against those who cross the limits of the law.
He reiterated that legal action will be taken against anyone involved in character assassination, damaging someone’s reputation or abusive activities in the name of social media.
The warning comes at a time when police are investigating some TV channels and social media platforms for allegedly broadcasting defamatory news involving a minister and a woman IAS officer. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case arrested two journalists of Telugu news channel NTV on Wednesday.
This case has been registered against NTV, T News and many other TV channels, YouTube channels and social media handles. The complaint was lodged by Special Chief Secretary Jayesh Ranjan on behalf of the IAS officers’ association.
Telangana IAS Officers Association Secretary Jayesh Ranjan said in his complaint that the news published and broadcast by NTV on January 8 about a female IAS officer was completely false, fabricated and baseless. The complaint said allegations were leveled against a serving woman IAS officer without any evidence and an attempt was made to link her transfers to these baseless claims by hinting at her alleged personal relations with a political executive.
–IANS
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