Two youths arrested for posting RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's morphed image on social media

Bhopal: Two youths were arrested in Madhya Pradesh for sharing online a doctored image of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday.

Shakir Yunus Banthia, 22, and Vasim Sheikh, 21 were held by Madhya Pradesh police for sharing RSS chief's morphed image dressed as a woman wearing brown pants, a report published in 'The Indian Express' said.

Reports say, while Sheikh posted the image on social networking website Facbeook, Banthia shared it on WhatsApp.

Banthia was arrested on a complaint registered by a local, who alleged that he had hurt the feelings of Hindus.

The duo have been sent to judicial custody till March 30.

Police inspector MP Varma, told the leading newspaper that Banthia didn't created the image, he only shared it.

Meanwhile, the Congress staged protest condemning the arrests.

In a landmark judgement upholding freedom of expression, the Supreme Court last year had struck down a provision in the cyber law which provides power to arrest a person for posting allegedly “offensive” content on websites.

Terming liberty of thought and expression as “cardinal”, a bench of justices J Chelameswar and RF, Nariman said, “The public’s right to know is directly affected by Section 66A of the Information Technology Act.”

Justice Nariman, who pronounced the verdict in a packed court room, also said that the provision “clearly affects” the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression enshrined under the Constitution.