Police Case Filed by EC Following X User’s Controversial EVM Statement
Police Case Filed by EC Following X User's Controversial EVM Statement
On Saturday, the Mumbai Cyber Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against a social media user named Syed Shuja for allegedly disseminating false information about the tampering of electronic voting machines (EVMs). This action was taken following a complaint from the Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra. Additionally, the Election Commission of India had previously lodged an FIR against Shuja with the Delhi Police for similar offenses, as stated by a senior official from the ECI who wished to remain anonymous.
The official mentioned that Shuja is not located in India and that “letters have been sent to the appropriate authorities to address the issue.” Shuja’s Twitter profile indicates that he resides in Dallas, Texas.
The FIR filed in Mumbai charges Syed Shuja under section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita (BNS), 2023, which pertains to cheating and carries a potential penalty of up to seven years in prison and/or a fine. It also cites sections 43(g) and 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which involve illegally accessing computer resources and cheating by impersonation using computer resources, respectively, with a punishment of up to three years in jail and/or a fine of ₹1 lakh.
The Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra stated in a public announcement that “EVMs are Tamperproof. EVM is a standalone machine that cannot be connected to any network, including Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, by any person whatsoever. Therefore, the question of manipulating EVMs does not arise. EVMs are completely tamper-proof. The Hon’ble Supreme Court has repeatedly expressed confidence in EVMs.”
The statement also mentioned that a similar incident led to an FIR being filed against the same individual in 2019 in Delhi, who is currently believed to be residing in another country.
According to the senior official, “Delhi and Mumbai Police are actively investigating and taking necessary steps to identify and apprehend anyone within India who is in contact with such individuals or complicit in these malicious activities.”
