A satirical video mocking West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has sparked a strong response from the Kolkata Police, who have demanded that the creators reveal their identities and addresses.
The police issued a stern warning to two social media users, @SoldierSaffron7 and @Shalendervoice, who shared the spoof video, which shows an AI-generated image of Banerjee dancing on stage.
The original video features American rapper Lil Yachty making a stage entrance, and has become a popular meme template with users replacing him with various figures, including Hitler and the DC supervillain Joker.
The police directive, posted on social media, read: “You are directed to immediately disclose your identity, including name and residence. If the information sought is not revealed, you shall be liable for legal action under Section 42 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).”
The authorities also tagged several other social media handles that had shared the video and sent a notice to the two users under Section 149 of the CrPC, which pertains to the prevention of cognizable offences.
The notice from the Cyber Police Station Kolkata stated: “It has been observed that you are using social media for posting offensive, malicious, and inciting post. Cyber police station Kolkata hereby issues notice against you under Section 149 CrPC for posting such message.”
It further said that the video could “adversely affect the law and order situation” and asked the X users to delete the post or face strict penal action.
(With inputs from agencies)
