Delhi Police arrested congress leader Arun Reddy
The Delhi Police said on Saturday the arrest of Arun Reddy, a prominent member of the Indian National Congress, for his alleged involvement in manipulating a widely circulated video during the ongoing national election campaign.
Arun Reddy, who serves as the social media chief for the Congress party, was apprehended late Friday in connection with a video that purportedly misrepresented remarks made by India's influential Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah. The edited footage falsely portrays Shah as pledging to terminate affirmative action policies benefiting millions of underprivileged and lower-caste Indians.
Amit Shah, often regarded as the second-most powerful figure in India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, shares a longstanding political alliance with Modi, spanning several decades.
According to Hemant Tiwari, Deputy Commissioner of Delhi Police, Reddy was taken into custody following investigations into the manipulated video. "We produced him in court, and he is now in police custody," Tiwari informed the media.
While Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed acknowledged Reddy's arrest, she refuted claims suggesting his involvement in creating or disseminating the misleading clip.
Reports from the Indian Express newspaper indicate that authorities have seized Reddy's electronic devices for forensic examination. An unnamed police official alleged that Reddy had "cropped and edited" the video in question.
Amit Shah has been actively campaigning on behalf of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Narendra Modi, widely anticipated to secure a third consecutive term as the six-week-long Indian election draws to a close next month.
Opposition leaders and human rights organizations have raised concerns, accusing Modi's government of leveraging investigative measures to undermine political adversaries.
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