FIR registered over alleged fake social media post targeting Akhilesh’s daughter

Kanpur/Lucknow: Kanpur police have registered an FIR against three individuals for allegedly circulating and promoting a fake and defamatory social media post targeting Aditi Yadav, daughter of Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.

The case was lodged following a complaint submitted to the police commissioner by Praveen Yadav, national secretary of the Samajwadi Advocates’ Association. He alleged that false and fabricated claims were being spread on social media to malign Aditi Yadav and her family.

An FIR has been registered at the cyber cell of the Kanpur police commissionerate against Bharat Patel, Nageshwar Singh Baghel and Vinod Kumar Yadav under BNS Sections 79 (insulting a woman’s modesty), 336(4) (creating a false document), and Section 66E of the IT Act (violation of privacy), said SHO (cyber cell) Satish Yadav.

According to the complaint, a social media account allegedly operated by Bharat Patel posted a message claiming that Aditi Yadav, purportedly studying in London, had gone missing after stealing ₹7 crore from her home and was living in Nigeria with a Muslim friend. The post was accompanied by a photograph allegedly showing her with an unidentified man.

The complainant alleged that the photograph had been digitally morphed and that the claims made in the post were entirely false and malicious. The FIR states that Aditi Yadav is currently residing with her family in Lucknow and that the post was intended to tarnish her image and harm the reputation of the Yadav family.

The complaint further alleged that the post amounted to character assassination and was aimed at spreading misinformation by portraying her as having fled abroad after committing theft.

Police said the accused also allegedly posted objectionable and derogatory comments, amplifying the defamatory content on social media.

“The circulation of the post triggered anger among party workers, supporters and members of the public, particularly women, who viewed it as an attempt to malign a woman’s character through false allegations and morphed images,” SHO Yadav said.

A senior police officer said an investigation is underway. “We are examining the social media accounts involved, verifying the origin of the post and will conduct a forensic analysis of the photograph. Online interactions linked to the post are also being scrutinised,” the officer added.