A significant development unfolded in the case concerning a doctored video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah as Arun Reddy, an accused linked to the incident, was remanded to three-day police custody by a court in New Delhi on Saturday. The case has drawn attention as it involves allegations of circulating manipulated footage of Home Minister Shah’s speech during a public event in Telangana’s Medak district.
Incident Recap:
Arun Reddy, associated with managing the Telangana Congress’ ‘Spirit of Congress’ X account, was apprehended by the Delhi Police following his arrest on Friday. Concurrently, Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police detained five individuals from Hyderabad, identified as Pendyala Vamshi Krishna, Satish Manne, Pettam Naveen, Asma Tasleem, and Koya Geetha, for their involvement in disseminating the doctored video.
Modus Operandi:
According to police sources, Pendyala Vamshi Krishna received the altered video via WhatsApp, subsequently uploading it onto the ‘INCTelangana’ (X) handle and distributing it across various WhatsApp groups.
Legal Actions:
In response to complaints lodged by the BJP and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Delhi Police initiated an FIR under pertinent sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Information Technology (IT) Act. The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities awaiting responses from social media platforms X and Meta regarding the manipulated video.
Continued Scrutiny:
Amid the probe’s progression, the Delhi Police had previously summoned Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for questioning in connection with the case, reflecting the widening scope of the investigation.
