Surat: A 47 year old social media content creator with around one million Instagram followers has been arrested by the Surat Cyber Crime Branch for allegedly posting an objectionable Reel involving Mahatma Gandhi’s image on a rs 500 currency note, police said on Monday.
The accused, identified as Simran Patel, is a resident of Surat’s Adajan area. According to police, the Reel was uploaded on October 1, a day before Gandhi Jayanti, and contained what investigators described as inappropriate visuals, gestures and sexually suggestive remarks involving the image of Mahatma Gandhi.
Police said the video was uploaded between 1 pm and 6 pm and subsequently attracted attention on social media. The Reel was later deleted, according to reports.
The matter came to the attention of the Surat Cyber Crime Branch after social worker Dharmesh Gami approached the police with a complaint. Following the complaint, a case was registered against Patel under Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, which deals with publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.
Investigators conducted a technical examination of the social media account and digital evidence before identifying Patel as the person allegedly responsible for creating and uploading the Reel. She was subsequently arrested by a Cyber Crime Branch team on Sunday, October 4.
The Surat Police later released a video on X showing a before and after sequence. The footage included Patel in connection with the Reel and later showed her in police custody. She was also seen apologising for the video.
Police have urged social media users to exercise caution while creating and sharing online content, particularly material involving national figures and religious or social symbols. Officials warned that attempts to gain followers, likes or popularity through objectionable content can lead to legal action.
Police said Patel has been living in Surat since her marriage around 17 years ago and has regularly created short form videos for social media. She has studied up to Class 12, according to investigators.
The case remains under investigation, and the allegations against Patel are yet to be tested before a court. Her arrest does not, by itself, establish guilt.
The incident has once again highlighted the legal risks that can accompany viral social media content, particularly when posts are alleged to cross the line into obscenity or offend public sentiments.
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