We all, the crusaders of Corruption in India and writing for various Blogs, Forums, Posts on FB, Tweets on your handle can lead to our arrests by the Government under Section 66 (1) (hacking with computer system) of the Information Technology Act.
Its an draconian act, which challenges our basic right - The Right to Freedom of Speech.
It's often said that when we talk about our rights we should always remember our duties too. Point Taken, but who shall put the bell on the CAT? The cat has turned to herds of power hungry wolves and have shaken up the very roots of democracy. I mean just come to think of it the lust with which they are robbing the exchequer - A nation called India.
If we, as common man of India is not going to make them aware of their misdeeds then who shall?
Politicians like Rajendra Prasad, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, Dr Ambedkar, M.K. Gandhi (I am specifically referring to him as M.K. Gandhi because our very govt doesn't recognize him as Mahatma any more) Maulana Azad are not going to come out of their graves and haunt them in their sleeps for their (current politicians ) misdeeds? Will They?
So its time we all gather courage and stand against this draconian act - Section 66 (1) (hacking with computer system) of the Information Technology Act.
Sometime back in July, Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra who was arrested for circulating emails mocking Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was also booked under section 66A of the Information Technology Act which penalizes "sending false and offensive messages through communication services".
Infact Aseem Trivedi of IAC too was booked under under IPC Section 124 (sedition), section 66 A of Information Technology Act and section 2 of Prevention of Insults to Nation Honour Act.
The recent case is of S Ravi, an industrialist who was arrested in the wee hours of Tuesday (5 am) on charges of posting "offensive remarks" against Union finance minister P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram on microblogging site Twitter.
S Ravi, 46, who runs a packaging unit at Sederapet Industrial Estate in Puducherry, in a tweet on October 19 alleged that Karti had "amassed" more wealth than Robert Vadra, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law.
In another tweet on the same day, he said "as a Tamilian" he felt "bad to have sent P Chidambaram to national politics". Ravi has been actively participating in events organized by the India Against Corruption (IAC) in Puducherry.
Puducherry police said Karti lodged a complaint and Ravi was booked under Section 66 (1) (hacking with computer system) of the Information Technology Act. The section can be used against a person who, with the intent to causing wrongful loss or damage to the public or any person, destroys or deletes or alters any information residing in a computer resource or diminishes its value or utility or affects it injuriously by any means.
Police called Ravi for questioning on Tuesday morning and arrested him subsequently. He was produced before chief judicial magistrate Venkatakrishnan, who granted him bail. If convicted, Ravi faces imprisonment up to three years or a fine up to Rs 2 lakh or both.
Pondy CAN (Citizen Action Network) president Probir Banerjee termed the police action as undemocratic. Pondy CAN is one of the several forums that organize IAC activities in the Union territory. "The police action is completely unacceptable. Are we living in a goonda raj? Of late anyone talking about the nexus between the political class and corporates is targeted," Banerjee said.
Former Madras high court judge David Annoussamy pointed out that several people who tweet would have to be arrested if the same yardstick was applied to all cases. "It is common for people to file a defamation suit against those making offensive remarks. The arrest will be made based on the outcome of the defamation suit," he said.
