Uttarakhand man held for defamatory videos targeting woman, BJP MLA

In Uttarakhand’s Bageshwar town, police apprehended a 34-year-old man named Jagdish Goswami, also known as Jagga Goswami, for allegedly disseminating defamatory videos on social media targeting a woman and later the BJP MLA from Kapkot Suresh Garia. Goswami, a resident of Manikhet in Bageshwar district, had been on the run since July 30 before his arrest on Tuesday evening in Pinglao Bend near Kandhar Tiraha in Baijnath.

The incident came to light when a woman accused Goswami of uploading videos intended to insult her modesty and privacy, as well as making derogatory remarks about her character. In response, the woman herself posted a video on social media threatening suicide at the police station unless Goswami was arrested within 24 hours. Additionally, BJP MLA Dharmendra Singh Danu filed a complaint, leading to a second FIR registration under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act.

Danu alleged that Goswami had circulated abusive and misleading videos on social media to tarnish the MLA's reputation. Special police and Special Operations Group (SOG) teams were formed to locate the suspect, conducting searches in various places like Ranikhet, Ramnagar, Bijnor, Haridwar, Saharanpur, and Dehradun. Goswami was eventually apprehended on Tuesday evening after a non-bailable warrant was issued due to his prolonged absconding. The investigation is now underway to determine the motive behind the alleged social media posts.