The city police on Thursday publicised a phone number and the email address of the cyber cell of Lalbazar for reporting fake news and encouraged Calcuttans to share information related to circulation and sharing of fake news on social media.

“If you have any information about FAKE NEWS, you can send an email to: cyberps@kolkatapolice.gov.in or contact land: 033-22143000,” Calcutta police tweeted on Thursday.

Lalbazar issued the email address and the phone number a day after the cyber cell of the city police had started a case against several Facebook profiles and Twitter handles that had allegedly posted or circulated morphed old purported videos of celebrations with the “Khela Hobe” song and tagged them as post-election celebrations in Bengal.

A senior officer at Lalbazar said the identity of the person reporting fake news would be kept confidential given the sensitivity of the complaint.

“We have come across several videos on social media which show purported violence that have been tagged as post-poll violence in Bengal. Many of them are found to be old doctored videos,” said the officer.

He added: “We will maintain confidentiality about the identity of the person who gives us information about any such lead. Spreading or circulating anything without verification that could catalyse unrest in society or trigger violence could attract criminal charges of sedition or sections of the information technology act. We strictly warn netizens from circulating or posting anything that could amount to this offence.”

The charges lodged against a person for spreading fake news on social media and messaging services like WhatsApp could lead to a maximum punishment of three years in jail, the police said.

Another officer at Lalbazar said anyone willing to share information should either call to alert about the name and details of the social media account or handle from where a suspicious content is posted or have to email the police the link of the content that is suspected to be fake.

The city police have initiated legal action against the social media handles that posted and circulated a video that purportedly shows the picture of a man who lives in Noida and falsely claims that he died in post-poll violence in north Bengal.