The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Chennai City Police has opened a First Information Report (FIR) for the offences of forgery, using forged document as genuine, and hacking, on a complaint from Vinay Sarawagi, Associate Executive Editor, at the News18 Group, lodged against Maridhas, a man who runs a YouTube channel.

In his complaint, Mr. Sarawagi said, “On July 5, Mr. Maridhas posted a video on his YouTube channel, wherein he alleged that the channel ‘News 18 Tamilnadu’ located in Nungambakkam has been running an anti Hinduism campaign for past four years. He further alleged that the channel is operated by supporters of either Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) or Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and that they are actively pursuing an anti-Hindu agenda in Tamil Nadu. In the said video, he invited Hindus to send emails with the same false and baseless allegations to our company/channel. Thus incited by Mr. Maridhas about 2,500 people emailed our company/channel making similar false and baseless allegations which were received at office in Chennai.”

On July 10, Mr. Maridhas posted on his Twitter handle, claiming that the management of the channel had accepted the allegations made by him and that a preliminary enquiry has found that the allegations are correct.

“On July 10, in another YouTube video, Mr. Maridhas displayed an email dated July 9 allegedly sent to him by me, wherein it was shown that I on the behalf of the management of our channel accepted the allegations levelled by him in his earlier YouTube video. I submit that the said email dated 9/7/2020 was not sent by me and that has been forged and fabricated... It is clear that Mr. Maridhas himself made up the false document and forged the said email.”

Mr. Sarawagi alleged that the forged and fabricated email used by one Maridhas with the intention of spreading fake news had harmed his reputation and the reputation of my news channel, as well as provoking people to break public peace and commit other offences.

Seeking to provide security to the office of News18 Tamilnadu and its staff, Mr. Sarawagi stated in his complaint , “It is our grave and serious apprehension that the circulation of the forged email containing fake news will lead to physical harm to our editor, reporters and other staff as well as properties at our office in Chennai.”

The CCB has registered the FIR on Wednesday, under sections of 465, 469, 471, and 66(B) r/w 43 of IT Act. and named an ‘unknown fake mail creator’ as the accused in it.