On Friday, the Kerala police arrested a man for allegedly disseminating misinformation on social media, claiming that a nationwide lockdown would be imposed for three weeks to manipulate electronic voting machines (EVMs).
According to a statement from the State Police Media Cell, the arrested individual, MV Sharafuddin, is a resident of Malappuram district in the state.
The man purportedly shared a screenshot of a news article published during the COVID-19 lockdown as part of his misinformation campaign, police reported.
This activity was uncovered during a social media patrol carried out by the Kochi Cyberdome branch of the Kerala police, the statement noted.
Additionally, the statement highlighted the establishment of social media monitoring cells at the cyber police headquarters, across all ranges, and in all police districts, led by the cyber division.
These measures aim to identify individuals spreading false information on social media, particularly in light of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state scheduled for April 26.