News website founder held for publishing false report

BENGALURU: Mahesh Vikram Hegde, founder of news website PostCard News was on Thursday arrested by Central Crime Branch (CCB) police for allegedly publishing false news about an accident in which a Jain seer was injured.N Sathish Kumar, joint commissioner of police (crime) said on March11, Jain seer Upadhyaya Mayank Sagarji Maharaj was walking with his satsang team towards Kanakagiri from Nanjangud in Mysuru district after participating in the Mahamastakabisheka when a rashly driven bike hit him.The biker was under the influence of alcohol and the seer sustained injuries on his right hand, forehead and face. Hewas treated at Kalavande village. Hegde, however, allegedly published false news the next day under the headline, “Very Sad news Yesterday in Karnataka Jain Muni, Attacked by Muslim Youth (sic)”, in his PostCard News website, and tweeted the same. Thousands of people shared the news on social media platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp.“Gaffar Baig, a resident of Whitefield, complained against PostCard News for allegedly publishing the false news. Cyber crime police registered a case on March 21 against Hegde and his employees Gaurav Pradhan and Deepak Shetty. We arrested Hegde on Thursday,” a police officer said. Sathish Kumar said there was another case against PostCard Newswith Sanjayanagar police for allegedly making derogatory remarks about some historical personallities.