Held for circulating fake message

The Ernakulam Rural police on Saturday arrested a man who had allegedly defamed a college student and her friend by circulating fake message through WhatsApp.

The accused was identified as Shihab, 35, a native of Chelakkulam.

He was tracked after interrogating several persons who had circulated the message.

According to the case, the accused on March 26 allegedly captured a picture of the victim standing along with one of her classmates at the KSRTC bus station in Aluva. Using the picture, he circulated a fake message that the couple was about to elope.

The message had been circulated so wide that the victim’s marriage proposal was derailed.

The accused was booked under provisions of the IT Act and produced before a magistrate.