The Kolkata Police's cyber crime wing has taken action against two social media users for sharing a video deemed “offensive, malicious and inflammatory” against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The controversial video, which depicts an AI-generated parody of Banerjee dancing on stage, attracted the attention of law enforcement agencies due to its controversial content.
Two users, identified as @SoldierSaffron7 and @Shalendervoice, received a stern warning from the Cyber Crime Wing of Kolkata Police for spreading parody videos. Police issued notices under Section 42 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) directing individuals to reveal their identity, including name and place of residence, for fear of legal repercussions.
@Shalendervoice quickly deleted the offending post, but the video remained accessible under the handle @SoldierSaffron7 at the time of reporting.
Additionally, police extended their surveillance to other social media handles that shared the video in question. Notices have been sent to @SoldierSaffron7 and @Shalendervoice under Section 149 of the CrPC expressing apprehension that distribution of such content may disrupt law and order.
The parody video in question, originally posted under the handle @SoldierSaffron7, depicts an AI-rendered version of Mamata Banerjee dancing during an on-stage performance. This video of his template is derived from his original clip featuring American rapper Lil Yoty, which has gained attention as a popular meme form, and features Lil Yoty in a variety of ways, including historical and fictional figures. Often replaced by famous people.
In response to the police notice, @SoldierSaffron7 expressed regret and criticized what he saw as a violation of freedom of expression. Social media users expressed similar sentiments, questioning the seriousness of the police response to a mere meme video.
