World
India
A 34-year-old man has been arrested by the Mira Bhayander-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police crime branch for allegedly morphing and uploading obscene photos of an additional commissioner of the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) and 14 other civic officials.
How the Case Came to Light
According to the First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Bolinj police on November 18, the additional commissioner was in his office at the VVCMC headquarters when he discovered manipulated photos of himself and his wife circulating on social media.
Upon further investigation, he found that the images had been uploaded from a social media profile under the name Kavya Mehta. The morphed photos were posted in four social media groups focused on Latur, which happens to be the complainant’s hometown.
Threatening Messages and Blackmail
The additional commissioner, who had previously ordered the demolition of 41 unauthorized buildings in Vasai-Virar, reported receiving a threatening message from the same profile.
The message read:
“Sabhi avedh nirman surakshit hain, agar aisa hi chala toh ab main kuch apne hisab se accha karunga.”
(Translation: “All unauthorized and illegal constructions are safe. If this goes on, I will take matters into my own hands.”)
In addition to the social media threats, the complainant also revealed that in August last year, he had received a text message from an unknown number asking him for a photo of his wife.
The sender later threatened to publish an article accusing him and his wife of corruption unless he complied. The additional commissioner filed a formal complaint, stating that the accused had tried to defame him and his family.
Police Investigation and Arrest
Following the complaint, the Bolinj police registered a case against an unknown individual under the following sections of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023:
- Section 351 (2) – Criminal intimidation
- Section 353 (2) – Public mischief
- Relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, 2000
In January, four more civic officials from Vasai-Virar approached the police with similar complaints.
The crime branch officers tracked the social media account and identified the accused as Chandan Thakur, a resident of Virar. He was arrested on Thursday.
Accused’s Criminal History
The police revealed that Chandan Thakur previously lived with his wife and son in Mira Road before relocating to Virar in October last year.
He has a history of similar offenses, with:
- Seven cases registered against him in Mira Road
- Five cases in Vasai-Virar
His past offenses include defaming government officials and demanding money from them in exchange for taking down defamatory social media posts.
Further Investigation Underway
Authorities are now investigating whether Thakur had any accomplices who helped him in manipulating the images and posting them online.
“We are now trying to find out whether Thakur had an accomplice helping him with the social media posts,” said a police officer from the crime branch.
