NCP Leader Booked for Using Morphed Chief Minister’s Image on Social Media
Digital Misuse Lands Party Wing Functionary Behind Bars
A recent high-profile case has seen Mahadev Balgude, the former head of the Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) social media wing, arrested by the Pimpri-Chinchwad cyber police in connection with alleged objectionable social media posts targeting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
According to the FIR, Balgude’s actions fall under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including defamation, intentional insult, and acts prejudicial to national unity and integrity.
The posts, which included a morphed image of the Chief Minister, were made on Twitter accounts operated by Balgude between April 3 and April 20. A complainant, who had noticed the posts, filed a First Information Report (FIR) with the local police, alleging that the tweets contained defamatory content, intentionally insulted the Chief Minister, and caused public mischief.
Cases and Implications
- The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, has been invoked against Balgude for defamation, intentional insult, and acts prejudicial to national unity and integrity.
- Section 66C of the Information Technology Act, pertaining to identity theft and digital account misuse, has also been invoked.
- The case highlights the power and danger of social media in shaping public opinion, particularly when used maliciously.
- Cyber experts stress that enforcement of laws alone is insufficient, and t
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