RAJKOT: A self-styled Hindutva social media influencer and a cyberhack was arrested for trying to vilify a Jamnagar-based senior bank executive by posting a forwarded social media message by changing its text with a communally charged content and the officer’s photograph.
The accused, Sanjay Soni (36), a resident of Udaipur, not just changed the forwarded message’s content into one abusing Sanatan Dharma but also put in a morphed obscene photograph of a Hindu deity in it.
Soni even went on to tag Jamnagar district superintendent of police (SP), collector, and some MLAs in the post as well as the victim’s seniors in the bank management.
The Jamnagar cybercrime police swung into action after tagged officers alert the unit. The officer, a Muslim, serves in a senior position in one of the leading private lenders in the country.
Soni had also tagged the seniors of this bank officer on X to project that the latter had put up this controversial post.
Following this post, the bank officer was detained by the cybercrime cell after senior officials alerted them. The victim had no idea about the post and nothing insinuating was found after the verification of his social media accounts and gadgets. Police also conducted his background check and confirmed that he was a non-controversial person.
Police said the social media post opened floodgates of misery for the bank officer as he was pounded with online abuses from his friends, acquaintances, relatives, and neighbours.
Earlier in May, Soni was arrested by the Rajasthan cybercrime unit for stealing a huge set of customers’ data from a leading lingerie company.
PP Jha, police inspector of Jamnagar cybercrime told TOI, “As soon as we arrested Soni, someone deleted the post from his social media account.”
Jha said that they had received a few calls pressuring the cops to release him and warning them of legal consequences for ‘wrongfully’ arresting Soni.
“We learned that Soni is a notorious cyber hacker, and he was booked in other cities of India also,” he added. Soni has been booked under relevant IPC sections including 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), 295 (defilement of a place of worship or an object held sacred with intent to insult the religion of a class of persons), forgery, and sections of the Information Technology (IT) Act.
Senior police officials suspect that Soni might have been “paid” by someone to vilify the bank executive. The suspicion stems from the fact that no direct or indirect link between him and the victim has been established.
The accused, Sanjay Soni (36), a resident of Udaipur, not just changed the forwarded message’s content into one abusing Sanatan Dharma but also put in a morphed obscene photograph of a Hindu deity in it.
Soni even went on to tag Jamnagar district superintendent of police (SP), collector, and some MLAs in the post as well as the victim’s seniors in the bank management.
The Jamnagar cybercrime police swung into action after tagged officers alert the unit. The officer, a Muslim, serves in a senior position in one of the leading private lenders in the country.
Soni had also tagged the seniors of this bank officer on X to project that the latter had put up this controversial post.
Following this post, the bank officer was detained by the cybercrime cell after senior officials alerted them. The victim had no idea about the post and nothing insinuating was found after the verification of his social media accounts and gadgets. Police also conducted his background check and confirmed that he was a non-controversial person.
Police said the social media post opened floodgates of misery for the bank officer as he was pounded with online abuses from his friends, acquaintances, relatives, and neighbours.
Earlier in May, Soni was arrested by the Rajasthan cybercrime unit for stealing a huge set of customers’ data from a leading lingerie company.
PP Jha, police inspector of Jamnagar cybercrime told TOI, “As soon as we arrested Soni, someone deleted the post from his social media account.”
Jha said that they had received a few calls pressuring the cops to release him and warning them of legal consequences for ‘wrongfully’ arresting Soni.
“We learned that Soni is a notorious cyber hacker, and he was booked in other cities of India also,” he added. Soni has been booked under relevant IPC sections including 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), 295 (defilement of a place of worship or an object held sacred with intent to insult the religion of a class of persons), forgery, and sections of the Information Technology (IT) Act.
Senior police officials suspect that Soni might have been “paid” by someone to vilify the bank executive. The suspicion stems from the fact that no direct or indirect link between him and the victim has been established.
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