Indian police yesterday said they had arrested the social media head of the country’s main opposition party over accusations he doctored a widely shared video during an ongoing national election.
Police on Friday detained the Indian National Congress national coordinator for social media Arun Reddy in connection with the edited footage, which falsely shows Indian Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah vowing in a campaign speech to end affirmative action policies for millions of poor and low-caste Indians.
Shah is often referred to as the second-most powerful man in the country after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the pair have been close political allies for decades.
Photo: AFP
Reddy “was arrested yesterday on investigation about ... a doctored video of the home minister,” Delhi Police Deputy Commissioner Hemant Tiwari said. “We produced him in the court and he is in police custody.”
Congress party spokeswoman Shama Mohamed confirmed Reddy’s arrest, but denied he was responsible for creating or publishing the clip.
“He is not involved in any doctored video. We are supporting him,” she said.
Authorities seized Reddy’s electronic devices for forensic verification, the Indian Express reported, quoting an unnamed police officer who accused Reddy of having “cropped and edited” the video.
Shah has been campaigning on behalf of Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which is widely expected to win a third term when India’s six-week election concludes next month.
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