Mumbai: BJP functionary booked for 'defamatory' tweet against BMC

Police have registered a case against a Mumbai BJP spokesperson for allegedly tweeting that an alive man was taken to a crematorium by the city's civic body, an official said on Thursday.

A complaint against him was lodged by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for allegedly defaming it and for spreading rumours.

Suresh Nakhua, a resident of Ghatkopar, had uploaded a video on his Twitter account on Tuesday, which purportedly showed a man being taken to a crematorium.

''This is beyond shocking. A LIVING man taken to cremation centre by BMC. I think there might be some #MahaVasuliTarget from cremation centres by #MahaVasuliAghadi govt,'' Nakhua said in his tweet.

Following the tweet, the BMC and the state government drew flak.

However, a BMC official approached the police saying that no such incident had taken place in Mumbai and the video was from some other place, police said.

A complaint was filed at Bhoiwada police station against Nakhua, the official said.

After verification of the complaint, an offence under IPC sections 505(1)(b), 500, and section 54 of the National Disaster Management Act was registered against him on Wednesday.

IPC section 505 (1)(b) punishes those who intend to cause or likely to cause fear or alarm among the public, or any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state or against the public tranquillity and section 500 deals with punishment for defamation.

Nakhua's statement has been recorded in this connection, the official said.

He has now expressed apology on Twitter for his earlier tweet.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)