• Police verify Mahua Moitra chat screenshots as fake after digital exam
    Indian Express | 15 February 2026
  • The Krishnanagar police stated on Friday that screenshots — purporting to show a private conversation between TMC MP Mahua Moitra and another person — circulated on social media platforms are fake and fabricated.

    “During the course of inquiry, it has been found through digital forensic examination that the alleged chat screenshots being circulated on social media are fake and fabricated,” said SP Krishnanagar Amarnath K.

    The Krishnanagar police claimed further that the man, identified as Surajit Dasgupta, detained in Noida, which falls in Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddha Nagar district, for circulating fake chat escaped due to outside interference at the local police station level.

    Earlier, a police team from West Bengal had visited Noida in connection with the viral fake chats case involving Moitra.

    “A lawful notice for appearance was issued on 7 February 2026 to the accused, Surajit Dasgupta of Noida, and upon non-compliance, a warrant was duly issued by the Hon’ble Court. Our team proceeded to Noida and, with the cooperation of Uttar Pradesh Police, detained the accused on 10 February. However, due to external interference, the execution of the warrant was disrupted and the accused managed to abscond,” the SP said.

    “Efforts to apprehend him are continuing. Creation and dissemination of forged digital content constitute serious offences, and anyone found involved will face strict legal consequences as per law,” he added.

    The Lok Sabha member from Krishnanagar had filed a complaint at Kotwali police station in her constituency against the circulation of “fabricated” chats screenshots and their reposting on X.

    “The posts are derogatory, sexually harassing and aimed to slander and hurt my dignity as a woman. This is being done purposefully and with malicious intent,” read the complaint. She also mentioned the social media handles by name and requested immediate action.

    Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered under sections pertaining to sexual harassment, stalking, cyberstalking, counterfeiting, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, defamation, forgery for the purpose of harming reputation, and criminal conspiracy, as well as under the IT Act. The Cyber Crime Wing had also issued a notice to X on February 6, under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, asking it to remove the content.

     

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