MBA student booked for sending anti-Narendra Modi message on WhatsApp

Bangalore: An MBA student was arrested by Bangalore's Central Crime Branch on Saturday for circulating offensive message against PM-elect Narendra Modi on WhatsApp, a Zee News report said on Monday.

The student named Syed Waqas (24), a student in an MBA college in Karnataka's Bhatkal came for internship in Bangalore.

Waqas was reportedly detained along with his four roommates who stayed at a rented accommodation in Vasanthnagar after Belgaum police traced the mobile number to his residence and briefed Bangalore's Central Crime Branch.

The four roommates were freed on Sunday but Waqas was booked under IT Act.

The complaint in this regard was filed with Belgaum police by an RTI activist Jayant Mukund Tinaikar, who said that he had received the message on May 16, said reports.

The incident comes few days after a man from Goa was booked for posting a derogatory message against Narendra Modi on Facebook.

Meanwhile Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Monday criticised registration of cases against those who allegedly posted comments on social networking sites against Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi.

"Where was Police and the Agencies when abusive remarks were being made against Dr Manmohan Singh? Any indication of things to come?

"Over zealous Police and Agencies have started registering cases of any posting against Modi on SM. What about our Freedom of speech?," Singh said on Twitter.

The remarks by Singh, a known detractor of Modi, came after reports that five students were on Saturday detained by the Bangalore Police for allegedly circulating anti-Modi messages on WhatsApp messenger service.

According to the reports, while four were released, the fifth accused, an MBA student in Bhatkal, Karnataka, was handed over to the Belgaum Police, which registered an FIR against him.

Earlier, the Goa Police had booked a young shipping professional for allegedly posting comments against Modi on Facebook.

 

Where was Police and the Agencies when abusive remarks were being made against Dr Manmohan Singh? Any indication of things to come ?

— digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) May 26, 2014