Mumbai police seek X user’s details after pro-Palestine post

A Telangana-based IT professional and activist alleged that the Bandra police in Mumbai sought his personal details from social media platform X after identifying him as the “main accused” in an online sextortion case. This came days after he criticised Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the state police over their alleged action against a woman who participated in a pro-Palestine kite-flying event.

The 34-year-old man, who identifies himself as Jeet on X, alleged that Senior Police Inspector Ravindra Salunkhe of the Bandra Police Station sent a request to X seeking his name, address, location logs, IP details, registered mobile number, and email address.

In a post on October 1, Jeet tagged senior Mumbai police officials and alleged that the request was made after he criticised Fadnavis and the Bandra police.

“After I criticised Fadnavis & Bandra Police, Sr PI Ravindra Salunkhe of @BandraPS requested X for my details by falsely claiming that I’m the main accused in an online sextortion case,” he said.

The police notice, dated September 21, was issued under Section 94 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which allows police or courts to require the production of documents, electronic communications, or other material relevant to an investigation. It was addressed to X Corp’s legal policy team in the US.

The notice referred to a first information report (FIR) registered under Sections 318(4) (cheating and dishonestly inducing a person to deliver property or make, alter, or destroy a valuable security) and 318(2) (cheating involving a person who is legally or contractually bound to protect another’s interests) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), read with Section 66(c) of the Information Technology Act (identity theft, including fraudulent or dishonest use of another person’s electronic signature, password, or unique identification feature).

The notice stated that the X user had been “booked in the said crime” and was the “main accused in the case”. It sought the account’s registration and creation logs with IP addresses, the registered mobile number and email ID, login and logout details with IP addresses and source ports, as well as any other relevant information.

The account identified in the notice was Jeet’s X account, @jeet561942.

Speaking to TNM, Jeet said that he had no connection with the sextortion case mentioned in the police notice. He said he was alerted by X on September 23 that the Bandra police had requested his personal information.

The request came four days after Jeet criticised the Bandra police over their alleged action against a woman who had flown a kite in solidarity with Palestinian children during the Global Gaza Kite Weekend, held between September 11 and 15.

The Global Gaza Kite Weekend was an international campaign in which participants flew kites in an expression of solidarity with Palestinian children in Gaza. Participants in Mumbai held the kite-flying event on September 15.

The Mumbai event was organised by those associated with Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine (IPSP). Participants flew kites and displayed Palestinian flags and posters near Otters Club in Bandra West. Police later said the organisers had not obtained permission for the gathering and that they questioned people involved and searched homes for material following videos of the event appearing on social media.

The event was followed by a police search of the home of Harshada Borade, a student and volunteer associated with IPSP. According to reports, the search began on September 18 and continued into the early hours of the next day. Activists alleged that police searched books and personal belongings and seized phones. The police said that an inquiry was underway. 

Jeet criticised the police action in a September 19 X post. He also criticised Fadnavis and other ruling-party leaders, alleging misuse of power.

The sextortion FIR cited in the police request concerns a complaint filed by a 30-year-old Bandra resident.

According to a Hindustan Times report, the complainant had accepted an Instagram follow request from an account named ‘dhwniiiiii’. The user allegedly introduced herself as Dhwani Sanghvi from Nashik and obtained the complainant’s WhatsApp number. The complainant alleged that he was later asked to go to a bathroom, where an obscene video was recorded. At around 2.14 am, he allegedly received a video showing himself and was threatened with its release unless he paid Rs 27,000.

The complainant approached the Bandra police, following which a case was registered against the person using the WhatsApp number under the Information Technology Act.

Jeet said he was disturbed that a case in which he had no involvement was allegedly used to obtain his information from X.

DCP (Zone 9) Mohit Kumar Garg told the Hindustan Times, “An inquiry has been launched into the complaint, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings.”