On Thursday, April 22, the BJP Mumbai spokesperson Suresh Nakhua was booked for triggering panic among the masses with an unverified video.
A few days ago, Nakhua had tweeted a video that showed an alive man being taken to a crematorium by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). “This is beyond shocking, A living man taken to a cremation centre by BMC, I think there might be some MahavasuliTarget from cremation centres by MahavasuliAghadi govt,” he wrote.
Following the tweet, the civic body and the state government had to face a lot of criticism on social media since the tweet went viral.
According to the police, Nakhua, a resident of Ghatkopar, had uploaded a video on his Twitter account on Tuesday, which purportedly showed a man being taken to a crematorium in an ambulance covered in a PPE kit.
This is beyond shocking.
— Suresh Nakhua ( सुरेश नाखुआ ) (@SureshNakhua) April 20, 2021
"A LIVING man taken to cremation centre by BMC."
I think there might be some #MahaVasuliTarget from cremation centres by #MahaVasuliAghadi govt. pic.twitter.com/3FoWgPVrnQ
As the video created ripples on social media, BMC’s Twitter team got in touch with Nakhua seeking more details about the video. He couldn’t provide the location shown in the video and the day it was shot. Sources stated that he first allegedly said he would provide the information only to top civic officials. But, when he remained silent and began evading calls as the BMC approached the Bhoiwada police.
The Bhoiwada police then had issued notice to Nakhua on Wednesday and had summoned him to the police station for recording his statement on Thursday morning after which he was placed under arrest. After the summon, he again took a dig at the Maharashtra government for harassing him.
It seems after targetting Sameet Thakkar and Sunaina Holey, Maharashtra Govt is after me.
— Suresh Nakhua ( सुरेश नाखुआ ) (@SureshNakhua) April 21, 2021
In last 24 hours they have deployed BMC JMC, DMC, Medical Officers, Police Insps of Bhoiwada, Sakinaka police stns to question me.
I am here and going nowhere.
The next day, he apologised on Twitter and said that he did not intend to cause panic among the public. He has been released on bail.
I had uploaded a video on 20/04/2021 showing a living man being taken to crematorium.
— Suresh Nakhua ( सुरेश नाखुआ ) (@SureshNakhua) April 22, 2021
I was not aware of the location of the incident and could not verify it.
This video was tweeted as it disturbed me immensely & to alert the authorities. @mybmc @CPMumbaiPolice
1/2
Police officer/s from Bhoiwada police station are coming to take my statement as informed by them.
— Suresh Nakhua ( सुरेश नाखुआ ) (@SureshNakhua) April 21, 2021
If I dont tweet in another two hours, you people can understand that they were not here to take statement but ... https://t.co/495L7Mb7fd
Nakhua has been booked under IPC sections 505 (1)(b), section 500 (defamation) and section 54 of the National Disaster Management Act.