Bengaluru/Mysuru, 21 Feb

In a key development in a cyber-defamation case involving social activist Snehamayi Krishna, police on Saturday arrested a man for allegedly circulating fake documents and a fabricated audio clip targeting senior KAS officer and former MUDA commissioner DB Natesh.

Police said the accused, N Vinod, acted out of “hostility arising from certain transactions” between him and the complainant.

“During the investigation, it was found that due to hostility arising from certain transactions between Vinod and the complainant. Vinod, with the intention of taking revenge for personal gain, contacted Krishna and provided false information,” police said in a statement.

“Krishan, without verifying the authenticity of the information received, circulated it on social media with malicious intent to defame and damage the complainant’s reputation,” the release said.

The case was registered on 18 February at the Bengaluru City Cyber Crime Police Station based on a complaint filed by Natesh, former Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) Commissioner, police said.

In his complaint, Natesh alleged that Krishna, a resident of Mysuru, had been targeting and harassing him by creating fake documents, morphed photographs and a fabricated audio clip, and uploading them on Facebook with the intention of defaming him. Krishna had been levelling allegations of corruption against Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and Natesh.

Police arrested Krishna on Friday.  A notice was then issued to Vinod, a resident of Bogadi in Mysuru, directing him to appear before the police. He was then arrested after investigation.

Additionally, another case has been registered against Krishna at the Vidhana Soudha Police Station for allegedly spreading false information and carrying out defamatory propaganda.

Notably, Krishna was the complainant in the MUDA land allotment case, based on which a case was registered against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi BM, her brother Mallikarjuna Swamy and others.

The Karnataka Lokayukta police, which registered the case, later gave the family a clean chit by filing a closure report, which was accepted by the Special Court.

The Mysuru district unit of the BJP said that the Karnataka government arrested RTI activist Snehamayi Krishna to “silence his voice”.

District BJP Spokesperson Mohan condemned the arrest and called for the suspension of Chief Secretary Shalini Rajaneesh and KAS officer DB Natesh, a former commissioner of MUDA over corruption charges.

Mohan condemned the police for arresting a whistleblower without issuing any notice to him and conducting an inquiry against the allegations levelled by Krishna.

Police violated the rules while conducting the Mahajar of the house of Krishna, he said. They took all the documents Krishna had at his home.

“This indicates that the State government has attempted to destroy the evidence using police force,” Mohan said.

Mohan urged the State government to immediately release Krishna and initiate action against the police officials responsible for the whistleblower’s arrest.

Krishna was a key activist in the MUDA scam case involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi BM, her brother Mallikarjuna Swamy and others.