Police inquiry into social media posts on Goa govt hits dead end

Staff Reporter

Panaji

The police inquiry into the alleged defamation of the Goa government through various social media platforms has hit a dead end.

Goa police were investigating a couple of mobile phone numbers that were allegedly used to share videos on various social media platforms.

The crime branch team had landed in Haryana and later visited Delhi. However, the trail has gone cold as the persons who were in possession of the phone numbers were alien to social media platforms. These numbers were fraudulently used by an unidentified person, said sources.

Police said that similar modi operandi has been used in cyber crimes, especially pertaining to
financial frauds.

Sources said that the videos had highlighted the alleged corruption by the government and that a number of clips had surfaced on social media highlighting massive government spending on various events.

Some of the videos highlighted the government policies and extension of contracts allegedly linking it to corruption,
sources informed.

Such videos were   shared by some individuals on various social media platforms allegedly to defame the government, following which the state administration instructed the police to conduct an inquiry to identify the person behind the act.

However, a social media influencer posted a video on August 15 claiming that the content   pertaining to
Goa was based on the discussion and information provided during the recent assembly session. A senior police officer said that no FIR was registered. However, a preliminary inquiry was initiated following instructions by the government. 

Incidentally, last year, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte had claimed that attempts were being made by some people to defame Goa using social media influencers.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had also stated that the government is considering initiating action against influencers who are defaming Goa on social media platforms.

Sawant had said that cyber crime police would be asked to conduct inquiry into such incidents. 

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