NSEL case: FIR registered for smearing judge's face on FB post

The accused made offensive remarks against the judge for recently granting bail to Jignesh Shah

An FIR has been registered against the handler of a Facebook account and some of its members for allegedly posting a photograph of a Bombay High Court judge and smearing his face with black ink and making offensive remarks against him for recently granting bail to crisis-hit NSEL's promoter and prime accused Jignesh Shah.

The Facebook account has also misused the national emblem on the page, police said quoting complainant Naveen Chomal, who is a senior advocate.

According to BKC Cyber police station, an FIR was registered against the handler and few members of 'NIF NSEL Investors FORUM' account on the social networking site last night after Chomal had on September 4 drawn the attention of Mumbai Police Crime Branch towards the offensive posts against Justice Abhay Thipsay, who granted bail to Shah on August 22.

The accused have been booked under the relevant sections of the Information Technologies Act and The State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act, 2005, said Dinkar Shilvate, inspector at BKC cyber cell police station.

The controversial social networking account has been allegedly created by aggrieved investors of the scam-hit NSEL, which is part of the Financial Technologies (India) Limited group founded by Shah, police said.

"I was shocked to find that they have posted a photograph of Justice Abhay Mahadev Thipsay with his face blackened," Chomal told PTI.

"Further the investors have also shared some posts saying "Abhay Thipsay Hay Hay". A post reads 'this type of corrupt judges to be executed in public', referring to the Judge," the lawyer said adding that, "he has furnished the links of these objectionable posts to the police."

Chomal stated that the investors had legal remedies to properly voice their grievances, if they have any, to the competent authorities like the Chief Justice of the High Court or the Supreme Court against the Judge and Shah's bail.

He also alleged that NSEL Investors Forum has created their Facebook page/ account by putting our National Emblem as their display picture or profile picture.

"This by itself is a gross misuse of our National Emblem," he alleged.

NSEL has been facing a payment crisis as nearly 18,000 of its investors allegedly lost Rs 5600 crore after the alleged fraudulent practices adopted by Shah and others.