Ajit Verma, arrested for making an alleged false post on Facebook related to a screening of The Kashmir Files, has shared on the social media platform at least 17 more posts apparently on the film’s screening, police said.
An officer in Kolkata police said the accused, a 28-year-old car salesman from Howrah, shared video clips apparently related to the screening of The Kashmir Files in various cinemas across the country.
“An analysis of his social media profile makes it clear that he is in the habit of forwarding sensitive posts and videos,” said an officer. “We can only take action for the posts that are linked to Kolkata.”
The Facebook post that led to Verma’s arrest was related to a cinema in Behala in southwest Kolkata.
The police said Verma had falsely claimed in the post that his friend had been heckled when he went to watch The Kashmir Files at Ajanta cinema in Behala on Saturday.
An officer said Verma, now in police custody at Parnasree police station, had said he had realised his “mistake”.
“But from his Facebook profile it is apparent that he is in the habit of posting contents, without verification, that can cause unrest in society,” the officer said.
“He said he just wanted to get more ‘likes’ for his posts.” “He said he had merely copied the content posted on a WhatsApp group by someone he did not even know,” the officer said.
The police have identified the man who had first posted about the alleged false incident on a WhatsApp group. But the man was not arrested till Tuesday evening.
Verma’s father and mother have apparently told the police that they had no connection with Kashmir or any political party.