Postcard News founder Mahesh Vikram Hegde arrested for running fake news

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Bengaluru: The Central crime branch on Thursday arrested Postcard News founder Mahesh Vikram Hegde for allegedly running fake and communally sensitive news regarding a Jain monk.

The Bengaluru Police confirmed that Hegde was arrested for a story that was carried on March 18 claiming that a Jain monk got injured after being attacked by a Muslim youth. It was later known that the monk had been injured in a road accident.

"Hegde had been arrested on Thursday on the basis of a complaint filed with the cyber crime police station attached to the Central Crime Branch regarding a fake news item tweeted and posted by Postcard News," the Police said.

"No one safe in Siddaramaiah's Karnataka, the Facebook page of Postcard News said. The post, which was accompanied by a picture of the monk with injuries on his arm and shoulder, has now been deleted.

Postcard News founder was arrested based on two complaints - one of which was filed on March 18 by Gaffar Baig, the General Secretary Bengaluru District Congress Committee. Another complaint was filed in Sanjay Nagar against a story published by Postcard News about Rani Chennamma and Onake Obava.

The police have registered an FIR and are investigating the matter.

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-with inputs from agencies

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