Accused in social media cases not getting serious action

Accused in social media cases not getting serious action

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 1, 2016 :  All the concern not withstanding,  hate-speeches, threats and abusive posts on social media, cases filed against those indulging in it do not seem to be pursued aggressively by the prosecution.

The laxity in making efforts to ensure at least some of these cases reach their logical end has worried experts, especially in Dakshina Kannada, where several instances of moral policing and communal clashes have been reported.

In Mangaluru alone, at least nine cases have been registered for hate-speeches or threats on social media since 2012. This includes the case registered against Bhuvith Shetty, a Bajrang Dal activist, for threatening a writer in the aftermath of the murder of rationalist M.M. Kalburgi in Dharwad. However, the case seems to have progressed little.

Of 12 hate-speech cases registered against Pramod Muthalik in the State, a case was registered in Mangaluru South police station in November, 2009. It was pertaining to referring to cow slaughter in Bhaktal during a speech at Nehru Maidan. According to a police officer, the trial is on.

On why such cases do not reach their logical end, a senior public prosecutor here said that under the Indian Evidence Act, digital evidence has to be submitted accurately for a case to stand. In addition, voice sample in a CD should exactly match with the voice of the accused. It requires technical expertise to prove it during investigation. It is a very difficult procedure.

Asha Nayak, a senior advocate, said the police usually do not take such cases seriously to prove it during investigation as it is time consuming. Producing evidence accurately needs a lot of effort. In addition, police stations lacked technical facilities for recording digital evidence, she said.