Maharashtra Home Minister promises preventive action against trolls

police will deal sternly with Internet `trolls', Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Saturday. Cyber criminals are misusing social media to harass incent people, and preventive action will be taken against such elements, he said, dressing a press conference here.

Action will be taken against trolls (those who post abusive, scurrilous or threatening messs on social media platforms) under Section 107 of Code of Criminal Procedure and y will be asked to sign a bond, he said.

Under this provision, an executive magistrate can take a bond from a person to ensure that he or she does t indulge in any mischief or "breach of peace".

"If y again indulge in cyber trolling, more stringent action will initiated for violating bond," minister said.

On issue of fake social media followers rackets, he said 66 First Information Reports have been registered in state in such cases.

Promoting a person's social media profile by creating fake followers has become new business, Deshmukh said, ding that several Public Relations (PR) ncies which provide such services are on police's rar.

Mumbai police are currently probing one such racket and have questioned several people including rapper Bshah.

(im from ANI)