Cyber crime police in Karnataka arrested social media user who goes by the handle @MumbaichaDon, according to multiple posts on X by the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders. The user, whose social media name is Bhiku Mhatre (based on popular character played by Manoj Bajpayee in 1998 crime thriller Satya), was arrested for sharing an edited clip of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on reservations and posting a tweet on Congress manifesto in which the user attacked the Muslim community.
J Saravanan, a complainant from Srirampura, filed an FIR against @MumbaichaDon over his tweet on the Congress manifesto. According to the FIR, the user’s post “tried to trigger communal unrest in the society by intentionally creating hatred between the Hindus and Muslims.”
My father @MumbaichaDon has been arrested by @DgpKarnataka @CPBlr @BlrCityPolice A mail was sent by TWITTER and suddenly in the evening the Police showed up at the doorstep and took away my father! FIR is totally NOT pertinent! #ReleaseBhikuMhatre pic.twitter.com/TrTXlxYdlD
@MumbaichaDon arrested from Goa
The X user was arrested from South Goan city of Ponda was charged under section IT act and also under section 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race). Earlier in the day, @MumbaichaDon shared a screenshot of a mail from X’s legal team that it received a court order from Magistrate Bengaluru City regarding his account.
The Karnataka Police has arrested Bhiku Mhatre aka Vinit Naik from Goa for spreading lies against Congress Party’s manifesto which may create disharmony in the society.#LokSabhaElections2024 pic.twitter.com/QXSnDDlJEH
The user maintained that he “never” wrote anything that “may be called as inflammatory or communal”. @MumbaichaDon also alleged that Congress was trying to “intimidate” him for “speaking truth”.
So it seems CONgress wants to intimidate me for speaking Truth. I'm ready to fight against any injustice & will take full Judicial Course even if that means approaching Highest Court, as I have never written anything which may be called as inflammatory or communal.
जय महाकाल 🙏 pic.twitter.com/mmZZwz1mT5
BJP leaders react over social media user’s arrest
BJP leaders, including Union minister Smriti Irani, were quick to react to the arrest and assured of legal help.
Spoke to @Tejasvi_Surya re the case . Legal support has been assured. https://t.co/VgVamhnOiZ
Amit Malviya, the BJP’s IT cell chief, accused the Congress government in Karnataka of being “intolerant of dissent”.
Karnataka Police has arrested @MumbaichaDon from Goa. We are in touch with his family and will ensure he gets all legal support. Congress has unleashed anarchy and is intolerant of dissent. But there won’t be another #Emergency in this country, ever.
Tejasvi Surya, BJP MP from Bangalore South, said “we will fight this, both inside courts and outside.”
This is blatant abuse of power by Karnataka Congress Govt.
We will fight this, both inside courts and outside. https://t.co/mCB8dkK1y5
Maharashtra BJP leader Vinod Tawde, too, expressed shock over @MumbaichaDon’s arrest.
Strongly condemn the arrest of influencer @MumbaichaDon by the Karnataka police for expressing views against the Congress manifesto. It is a blatant attack on free speech and a dangerous precedent. They need to know that democracy thrives on diverse opinions, not suppression.
No further details on @MumbaichaDon’s arrest have been released.
