‘Sad and shocked’: Hardik Patel files police complaint over fake social media posts defaming him

The complaint is related to a social media post of Patel on the recent death of former MLA from Viramgam constituency Vajubhai Dodiya on October 21.

Dodiya was a leading name in the cooperative sector in the Viramgam constituency.

According to Patel’s complaint, mourning Dodiya’s death, he had posted a message on his Facebook page. Some unknown persons have made some “perverse changes” to it and made it viral on social media after taking its screenshot which can tarnish his political image and create hatred towards him, the BJP MLA said in his complaint.

Referring to this altered and fake post, he added, “It has such content that reading the post, any common person will have a feeling of hatred towards me.”

Following Dodiya’s demise, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Gujarat BJP Chief Jagdish Vishwakarma had visited the grieving family recently.

In his complaint, Hardik has sought legal action against the persons who circulated the fake post and stated, “In (my) political career, as part of freedom of expression, many people make comments and suggestions. However, reading the post, in which perverse changes have been made to my post on the death of an MLA which can defame me, I am feeling sad and shocked.”

Speaking to The Indian Express, Hardik Patel said, “For the past some time, some people have been circulating posts on social media which cannot only defame me but also tarnish my political image. Due to artificial intelligence, it has become easier. And so, I have filed a police complaint to check such people with ill motives.”

Police Inspector of Viramgam Town Police Station K S Dave said, “We have received the complaint. So far, no FIR has been registered. We are investigating the issues mentioned in the complaint (given by Hardik Patel).”