A case has been filed against Dayanidhi Maran, DMK’s Central Chennai parliamentary candidate, by Cybercrime wing of Central Crime Branch for allegedly morphing a photograph of PMK parliamentary candidate Sam Paul and for criticising him on social media.
Sam Paul called for a press meet on April 1 stating that the opposition had launched a smear campaign against him by morphing a photo of him holding a dumbbell to look like he’s holding an alcohol bottle instead. According to his claims, the photo was taken from his interview to The Hindu that featured in 2015.
He also claimed that the morphed photograph was circulated and telecast on a few private television channels. In his post, he calls it as “smear attacks done on us by the opposition aimed at assassinating my character on a very personal level.”
A report in The New Indian Express quotes a police officer as saying, “He gave an interview to a newspaper about his chain of restaurants, gyms and spas in the city. The photograph showed Sam Paul sitting on a chair and variety of food displayed in front of his table, while he was holding a dumbbell weight. Miscreants morphed dumb-bell and pasted a liquor bottle on his left hand and portrayed him in bad light”.
The police have now launched an inquiry to find out the people responsible for the alleged morphing and telecasting.
Dayanidhi Maran is yet to respond to these allegations. In February, a special CBI court in Chennai framed charges in the illegal telephone exchange case against Dayanidhi Maran, Kalanithi Maran and five others, including former BSNL General Manager K Brahmanandam, former Deputy General Manager MP Velusamy, Dayanidhi Maran’s Private Secretary Gauthaman, and Sun TV employees Kannan and Ravi.