Nagpur: The Nagpur Cyber Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against four social media influencers, including Bihar-based YouTuber Manish Kashyap, over allegations of spreading misleading content related to ethanol fuel and allegedly attempting to damage the reputation of Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.
The FIR names Manish Kashyap along with content creators Desi BoysNCR, Harshit Rathi and Anklesh Invate. According to the police, the accused allegedly uploaded videos on platforms such as YouTube and Instagram containing claims about large-scale fraud and irregularities linked to the use of ethanol fuel while associating Gadkari with the matter without any verified evidence.
Investigators allege that the videos portrayed the Union Minister’s ethanol-related policies in a misleading manner and attempted to create the impression that illegal activities were being carried out under the cover of the government’s ethanol initiative.
The complaint was filed by Shishir Tripathi, head of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s social media cell in Nagpur, who described the videos as part of a deliberate campaign to tarnish Gadkari’s public image. The complaint further alleged that the influencers used misleading interactions and purported interviews with members of the public to make the content appear credible and influence viewers.
According to the complaint, Gadkari’s name was intentionally used to attract higher viewership and social media engagement despite the absence of any factual connection between the minister and the allegations presented in the videos. It also claimed that the content had the potential to disturb social harmony by spreading misinformation.
Police officials said the Cyber Cell’s preliminary inquiry found no evidence linking Gadkari to the alleged frauds or incidents depicted in the videos. Authorities further stated that the content sensationalised the issue and promoted unverified claims that lacked factual basis.
The Cyber Police have launched a technical investigation to identify the origin of the videos, examine how the content was produced and circulated, and determine whether there was any coordinated conspiracy behind the alleged misinformation campaign. Further legal action will depend on the findings of the ongoing investigation.
