A 21-year-old man was apprehended in the Bhalswa Dairy area of North Delhi on Friday, following his alleged dissemination of a hoax alert on social media concerning the G20 Summit, according to officials.
The individual in question used social media to claim that an auto-rickshaw, purportedly transporting firearms and explosives, was en route to the Pragati Maidan area, the venue for the G20 Summit. Law enforcement authorities promptly took action, leading to the identification and subsequent arrest of the accused for disseminating false information to the public.
A senior police officer reported that the official Twitter handle of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Outer North, referred to as ‘X,’ was tagged in a post authored by a user named Kuldeep Sah. In this post, Sah alleged that “an auto-rickshaw driver was heading towards Pragati Maidan with guns and explosives,” accompanied by a photo of the said auto-rickshaw.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the police conducted an investigation and determined that the auto-rickshaw was registered in the name of Gurmeet Singh, a 50-year-old resident of SSN Park. It was established that Harcharan Singh, a 48-year-old auto driver, was using the vehicle for the transportation of clothing materials in the Chandani Chowk area. Harcharan Singh clarified that the auto was registered in his brother’s name and revealed an ongoing dispute with Kuldeep Sah, a neighbor, over parking issues.
Upon thorough examination, the auto-rickshaw yielded no suspicious items or materials. Kuldeep Sah was located at his residence, where he admitted to posting the information on ‘X’ using his handle, @Kuldeep Sah, as a response to the auto driver parking his vehicle outside his house. According to the police, Sah had repeatedly cautioned the auto driver against parking in that location.
Legal actions are being pursued against Kuldeep Sah for disseminating false rumors concerning the security of the G20 Summit. As the national capital remains under heightened security measures in preparation for the two-day G20 Summit scheduled to commence on Saturday, swift action was taken by the Delhi Police in response to the bomb threat hoax.
The arrest underscores the significance of maintaining vigilance and taking immediate action to address potential security threats during high-profile events such as the G20 Summit.