AGARTALA: A police constable was arrested and subsequently suspended from service on Sunday for spreading fake information on social media about an alleged “divorce suit” filed against Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb by his wife Niti Deb, the police said.
“Constable Jamal Hossain was arrested for sharing fake information on social media. He was later suspended from service by the authority,” a police officer said.
Hossain is the bodyguard of Islam Uddin, a legislator of the opposition Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).
The Tripura Police had on Friday registered a case against Anupam Paul, a social media user, for allegedly spreading fake information about a “divorce suit” filed against Biplab Deb by his wife Niti Deb in a Delhi court.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Arindam Nath told IANS that the police were looking for Paul and a probe was on.
Paul, who had earlier worked in the social media wing of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been previously accused of posting fake messages on different issues on the social media.
Biplab Deb, who returned here on Sunday after campaigning in West Bengal, told the media that FIRs have been filed against five people on the same issue.
“Nobody involved in spreading the fake news would be spared,” said the Chief Minister, who who had earlier said in a statement that “such social media propaganda was a deep-rooted conspiracy with malafide intention”.
Biplab Deb’s wife Niti Deb said she was shocked and stunned by some bogus social media posts about their marital life.
“Such fake campaign spoils the social reputation and stature of a person. None, especially the women, should be the target of such bogus social media campaigns,” she said.
“A few weeks back, similar fake social media campaign was launched against the state’s Social Welfare and Social Education Minister Santana Chakma, who’s also a young tribal woman,” Niti Deb said. IANS