Karnataka: Man booked for BJP's 'derogatory' posts on social media against CM and DyCM

Bengaluru, Oct 21 (PTI) A man has been booked in connection with "derogatory" posts made by BJP's Karnataka social media handles against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, police said on Saturday.

The move comes after the ruling Congress on Friday lodged a police complaint against the BJP's Karnataka social media handle for posting "derogatory" comments about Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.

"Based on the complaint received, we have registered an FIR under section 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code at High Grounds Police Station and an investigation is underway," a senior police officer said.

A man named Srinivasamurthy, resident of Tumakuru district, has been booked in connection with the case, the police said, adding that efforts are being made to trace him.

Police, however, did not divulge further details about the man as it may hamper their investigation.

State Congress General Secretary Surya Mukundaraj on Friday said the BJP social media handle projected that the huge amount of cash of Rs 94 crore and valuables worth Rs eight crore seized by the Income Tax Department in the recent raids in Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi belonged to the Congress.

He also complained that the BJP had morphed the images of the chief minister and his deputy and portrayed them in poor light to "create confusion among people".

Mukundaraj also charged that many BJP leaders shared the defamatory posts by BJP's Karnataka unit on the social media platform X.

"The I-T department nowhere in its press release said that the cash seized by it belonged to ministers or any specific person. Even before the probe was completed, the BJP started spreading lies through social media to create confusion among people," the Congress leader said in his complaint. PTI AMP GMS ANE