Retired army Major booked for posting fake news

A retired Major of the Army was on Monday booked by the Cyberabad Police here for allegedly posting fake news on a social media platform, police said.

The Cyber Crime Police noticed that Twitter account holder "theskindoctor13" created a fake news article by editing an old news report in an English daily as 'Cyberabad Police Bans sale of Oranges in the City', an official release said.

The Twitter account holder also attached a morphed photo of senior police officers of the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate with the fake news, it said.

"In the fake news/article it was mentioned that to boost secularism to the hilt, Cyberabad police banned the display, sale and consumption of Oranges in the City as saffron colour of oranges is hurting the sentiments of the Muslims," the release said.

As the post is likely to promote enmity between different religions and prejudicial to the maintenance of communal harmony, a criminal case was registered against the retired army Major for posting the fake news, the Cyberabad Police said.

Cyberabad is one of the three Police Commissionerates covering Hyderabad and its adjoining areas.