2 arrested for allegedly spreading fake news against journalist Rana Ayyub

Mumbai, Mar 07: Mumbai Police's cyber cell has arrested two persons working for a news portal for allegedly spreading fake news against journalist Rana Ayyub through a video, an official said on Sunday.

The two accused are residents of Uttar Pradesh, PTI reported.

A case was registered at the West Region Cyber Police Station under sections 354(a) (Sexual harassment), 506(2) (Punishment for criminal intimidation), 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), and 500 (Punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code and under the Information Technology Act, he said.

While investigating the case, the Cyber police had arrested one Siddharth Jay Prakash Shrivastav (24), a resident of Bhopal, he said.

"Mumbai cyber crime today arrested the two journalists from Scoopbeats who made a video at the behest of their employers, spreading the most vicious fake news against me. This is a big step in the direction of justice. Thank you @CPMumbaiPolice, Joint CP and the other officers," Rana Ayyub had tweeted on Friday.

"The two young journalists had accused me of being aided by Pakistan, announced that I had been banned by Saudi Arabia, and attributed morphed anti-India tweets to me have said their employers @thescoopbeats had asked them to do this hit job on me to target my reputation", she had stated.

(PTI)