Kochi police on Thursday arrested one person after Shani Prabhakaran, chief news producer at Manorama News channel, filed a complaint against online harassment.
She alleged that a photograph of her with CPI (M) MLA from Thripunithura, M Swaraj, inside an elevator, was being used to defame her.
The person arrested has been identified as PV Vaishak from Alappuzha.
Kochi police have registered an FIR and a case was taken under IT Act of 67 A (Punishment for publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act, etc., in electronic form.)
Police officials later told media that the case will be investigated in detail without delay.
Shani Prabhakaran had written the complaint to the Director General of Police on Thursday.
In her complaint to the police chief, Shani said that a photograph of her with CPI (M) MLA from Thripunithura, M Swaraj, inside an elevator was used to spread false news about her and the cyber bullies had resorted to character assassination.
"These people have been spreading highly degrading comments about me on Facebook and WhatsApp, by sharing a picture of me along with a friend and MLA M Swaraj. These people are spreading demeaning comments with sexual undertones," reads her complaint.
Shani hosts the popular show Parayathe Vayya and primetime debate called Counter Point on Manorama News. She is a journalist who is noted for refraining from asking sugar-coated questions to the politicians. Shani has also been labeled as a supporter of the Left by right wing factions.
The "leaked" photographs were first circulated by an online news portal Narada News along with an article claiming that Shani held talks with Swaraj to get enlisted as a CPI (M) candidate in Ernakulam. The article also claimed that the talks were held with the knowledge of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.