Kerala cyber police nab two for malicious mail

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kerala cyber police Sunday arrested two people for making changes to a mail that showed a mansion with a caption saying that the home belonged to CPI-M state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan.

The arrested include K.R. Manoj, who hails from Kayamkulam and works in Africa as a welding technician. The second person arrested is Karthik, who hails from Kottayam, and is a student doing chartered accountancy, said J. Sukumara Pillai, deputy superintendent of police of the Cyber Police Station.

The two were arrested under the amended Section 66 A of the IT Act.

Manoj had made additions to the mail, which he received from Dinesh Nair, who is based in Dubai, and forwarded it to several mailing groups. Karthik also made additions in the mail and forwarded it to several people.

“According to the amended Sec 66 A of the IT Act, which came into effect on Oct 27 this year, the Cyber Police can register a case against anyone who forwards a mail without verifying the truth of its contents. To register a case to this effect, an FIR has to be there,” said Pillai.

The mansion in the mail is in Trissur and belongs to non-resident Indian businessman Pramosh, who is based in Saudi Arabia and is the producer of a TV serial which is being aired by a channel here. Parts of the serial were shot in the mansion.

“The investigation was done through the internet and the team made inquiries online with people in several Middle East countries and also Angola. We have got leads on the person who originally created the mail,” said Pillai.

The police official added that the investigating team took the case up not because the complainant was Vijayan but because this was the first FIR registered after the new amendment came into effect.

Last week, Vijayan had written a complaint on being defamed through this malicious mail which was in circulation.

He wrote to the Director General of Police Jacob Punnoose, who forwarded it to the Cyber Station and they took up the probe.

The arrested men will be produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate 3 here. The police team said the offence was a bailable one.