Ranchi college student held for publishing fake LS polls dates on his website

The 21-year-old was later released on bail. Police are also checking about his involvement in previous cases, if any.

Police have arrested a 21-year-old student for allegedly publishing a false schedule of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on his website last month. Police said they acted after a formal complaint was received from the chief electoral officer in January.

The man told the police that he had received the Lok Sabha election schedule on a WhatsApp group, which he then published on his website to increase the popularity of the site. (Bloomberg)

Senior officers of the Delhi Police cyber cell said an FIR was filed on January 18 this year after the electoral officer complained that a fake news about the general election schedule was being circulated on online and social media platforms.

“During investigation, we zeroed in on a website named www.mytechbuzz.in. It was found that the false schedule had been published on this website. A technical investigation was conducted and we were able to identify the admin of the website as one Gomunt Kumar, a resident of Jharkhand. Kumar was pursuing his BSc from Ranchi. He was asked to join the probe in Delhi and later arrested on January 31,” said a senior cyber cell officer who did not wish to be identified.

DCP(cyber cell) Anyesh Roy said the man told the police that he had received the election schedule on a WhatsApp group, which he then published on his website to increase the popularity of the site. Kumar was later released on bail, police said.

Police are also checking Kumar’s involvements in previous cases, if any.

“We were told that he has shut down his website. Involvement of any political group behind the incident and background of the members of the WhatsApp group are also being checked,” an officer said.