The Mangaluru City Police have decided to enlist the help of Interpol for the investigation into persons who allegedly posted communally-charged messages on social media. The Mangaluru Cyber Crime officials have been registering cases against several persons since the last one week for putting up posts on social media that allegedly incite communal hatred.
The police have identified the registered mobile numbers of various persons putting up these posts. Mangaluru Police Commissioner PS Harsha said that several of these numbers are from countries abroad and they are enlisting the help of Interpol to further their investigations.
“We want to enlist Interpol’s help to issue lookout circulars, revoke passports of these persons living abroad and issue Letters Rogatory to foreign countries and seek their cooperation for the probe since a few of these posts are from people who put them up abroad,” he said.
Letters Rogatory is a formal communication in writing sent by any criminal court in India, where criminal action is pending in a case, to a foreign court or Judge requesting the testimony of a witness residing within the jurisdiction of the said foreign court. The Indian police can file Letters Rogatory under section 166 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The Mangaluru Cyber Crime unit has identified around 40 social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and Instagram, where posts that allegedly incite communal hatred were posted after the protests erupted on December 19. The police in Mangaluru North and Bunder police stations opened fire, which killed two people – Jaleel Kudroli and Nausheen.
In connection with the protests, the Mangaluru police announced on Facebook that Moideen Hameez –known as doctor.hameez – in his Instagram account, was arrested on Thursday for sharing message purported to be provocative. He has been charged under IPC section 505(1)(c) (inciting to commit offence) , IPC 114 (Abetment to offence), IPC 153A (promoting disharmony, enmity or feelings of hatred between different groups on the grounds of religion) and Section 124 A (sedition).