Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (RJP)

Mangaluru, Jan 22: An case has been registered in Vidhana Soudha police station in Bengaluru over a fake message in WhatsApp and other social media targetting health minister U T Khadar.

As per the complaint filed by K A Hidayatullah, special duty officer to U T Khadar, WhatsApp messages were being circulated showing Khadar’s 'daughter' as recently married. The messages claimed that the bride, shown wearing lots of gold ornaments on her, was Khadar’s daughter. The fact is, Khadar does not have any daughter of marriageable age, stated Hidayatullah.

Khadar’s only daughter, aged 12, studies in a primary school and is staying in an ordinary hostel in Kerala.

Hidayatullah further states in the complaint that the fake message has brought much agony to the minister's family, besides disturbing his peace of mind. Khadar and his family have been constantly answering phone calls from the public and news channels and are being subjected to much embarassment, he stated.

"The girl in the picture is some stranger and has no connection to either Khadar or his family," he said.

"Over the past one week, so many people including political leaders have asked Khadar about the fake photo. This is a plot to falsely project Khadar as someone who had a lavish wedding for his 'daughter'," the complaint states.

An embarassed Khadar has only responded by saying, "Some miscreants have done it. Unnecessary assassination of character hurts me a lot. But that is common in public life."

Hidayatullah in his complaint urged the police to trace the persons responsible for creating and spreading the fake message and take strict action against them.

Based on the complaint, the police filed an FIR under section 66A of the IT Act on Thursday January 22.