Hyderabad: Circulating controversial messages over social media and messaging apps will now land the users and site administrators in jail. Experts in law say such messages can invite action under the IPC, CrPC and the City Police Act, apart from the IT Act.
Experts say that if a message or post is found to be against any religion or is anti-national in nature, its creators and circulators will be punished if anyone lodges a complaint. Additional commissioner (crime) of Hyderabad police, Swathi Lakra, told DC that most such cases come under 66 (a) of the IT Act. But, the Supreme Court had suspended the section earlier.
“Criticising a religion comes under Section 295 and 499 of IPC. Similarly, if anyone targets any individual over social networking sites or Whatsapp, the message creator and circulator will be liable under Section 292 of IPC that sees it as an act defaming an individual. If anyone morphs a picture of any individual or uploads a picture of an individual without his or her knowledge, the offence comes under Section 67 of the IT Act,” she said.
Cyber crime experts say the response from other users in social media networking sites, like making comments, reacting by liking the post etc, are also be liable for prosecution. Creating fake profiles and using others’ pictures as profile picture will be a crime under Sections 420 and 499 of IPC and sections 66D and 67 of the IT act. The accused will have to face jail for three to seven years. Posts that are anti-national will invite jail for up to 10 years.
Another police official said the ‘admin’ in Whatsapp group will also be a respondent in cases of controversial messages posted by other group members if he fails in controlling the group. “Already, Varanasi collector Yogeswar Ram Mishra has issued orders on the matter and warned of cases against site administrators. We are using IPC and CP Act as alternatives to IT Act. We have sophisticated equipment to nab suspects through IP address, mobile number, social media ID etc,” the official said.
