UP Labourer Held In Kalaburagi Over Alleged Anti-National Social Media Links

Kalaburagi: Kalaburagi city police have arrested a 23-year-old migrant labourer from Uttar Pradesh over suspicious social media activity and for allegedly following and maintaining contact with handlers of accounts carrying anti-national content.

City Police Commissioner Dr Sharanappa SD said on Thursday that the accused, Mohammed Sameer, is a native of Sadarpur village in Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh and has been working as a labourer in Kalaburagi for the past eight months to one year.

Police came across his suspicious social media activity and kept him under watch for several days before taking him into custody, the Commissioner said.

“Some suspicious activity was noticed on social media. He was following accounts carrying anti-national content and was in continuous contact with some of the account handlers. Based on this activity, we registered a case and arrested him,” Dr Sharanappa said.

A case has been registered at University Police Station under Sections 113(3) and 197 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further investigation is under way.

The police found that Sameer was following accounts on Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp that were allegedly carrying anti-national content. Police opine that some of the account handlers are Pakistani nationals.

“It is too early to say whether he shared any important details. At present, the case is based on his suspicious social media activity, following anti-national accounts and allegedly promoting their content,” Dr Sharanappa said.

Police have seized the mobile phone used by the accused and will subject it to detailed digital and forensic examination. The investigation will focus on identifying whom he had contacted, the nature of the communication and whether he had undertaken any other suspicious activity.

The Commissioner said the police had initially questioned two persons. No suspicious activity was found against the other person and no action was taken against him.

According to police, the team first received information about Sameer's social media activity and monitored him for a few days, including through ground-level verification. His mobile phone was subsequently examined, and investigators found material that prompted further questioning and the registration of the case.

Dr Sharanappa said the investigation was being treated as a national security-related matter and information would be shared with relevant State and other agencies.

“He had come here in search of work. We have so far found suspicious activity only on social media. We need to take him into police custody and conduct further inquiry. The digital footprint of his mobile phone has to be analysed forensically,” he said.