Mumbai: 'Fake followers case charge sheet lacks statements from social media giants'

Advocate Arvind Singh

The highly publicised case of fake social media followers, initially investigated by the controversial officer Sachin Waze, lacks statements from Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. The case hinges on fake accounts created to inflate the followers of celebrities and influencers. The accused have filed an application before the court, asserting that the charge sheet lacks statements from these intermediaries, making it premature to conclude that the accounts are fake without their input.

The application filed by one of the accused, Premendra Sharma, who was arrested by Waze in August 2020, allegedly for operating multiple portals offering fake followers, views, subscribers and ‘likes' to individuals seeking to boost their social media presence. The police suspected that Sharma utilised numerous bot accounts to provide followers to celebrities and influencers. Additionally, the police have arrested three other accused and filed charge sheets against them.

Accused seeks relief

Sharma filed an RTI request with the city police seeking details regarding any information obtained from social media platforms. However, the information was withheld, citing the sub-judice nature of the matter. Subsequently, he submitted an application before the additional chief metropolitan magistrate, asserting that the charge sheet lacks statements from social media platforms where the alleged fake accounts, as per the police, were created. Without these statements, Sharma argues, that the case lacks substantiation.

Sharma, one of the accused, argues that the case lacks substantiation. Representation Pic

"The charge sheet filed by the prosecution is incomplete as it does not include statements from Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Google Ads. The accusations against the accused involve fake followers created on these platforms (as alleged in the charge sheet), which cannot be deemed true without their input," the application states.

"The prosecution's whole charge against me is dependent on whether the accused created fake followers on these websites or not. This fact can only be answered by taking the statements of Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Google Ads, but the charge sheet does not have the statement of these websites," he further said in his application. Sharma further contends in his application that the rapper Badshah, who admitted to paying money to increase his followers, had been designated a witness rather than being charged, presumably due to his celebrity status.

"The case, built upon numerous fake social media accounts, lacks statements from these platforms. How can it be asserted that the accounts are indeed fake? On what basis are such significant claims made? It appears to me that the police were attempting to shield influential individuals involved in the case by omitting these statements," said Advocate Arvind Singh, who is representing Sharma in the case.

2020
Year Sharma was arrested