Fake influencers case: Rapper Badshah questioned 3rd day in row
Mumbai: Rapper Badshah was questioned by the Mumbai Police's crime branch on the third consecutive day on Saturday in connection with the probe into a racket which creates and sells fake social media followers and 'likes', an official said.
Badshah reached the office of the crime branch at 3 pm where he was grilled by officials of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), he said.
The rapper has been called again for questioning on Monday, the official added.
The Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) started probing the case after Bollywood singer Bhumi Trivedi found that somebody had created her fake profile on social media and complained to the police.
During the probe, the police unearthed a racket which creates fake social media profiles and sells fake followers and likes to celebrities and 'influencers'.
A celebrity or social media influencer can command a higher price for product endorsement if he or she has more followers. The police has recorded statements of nearly 20 people in the case. Meanwhile, Badshah has denied allegations against him.
"Following the summons, I have spoken to the Mumbai Police. I have aided the officials in their investigation by cooperating and carrying out the due diligence on my part.
"I've categorically denied all the allegations levelled against me and made it clear that I was never involved in such practices, nor do I condone them," he stated.
He said he had complete faith in law and investigators.
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India trashes Canada's allegations against Amit Shah as 'absurd and baseless'
New Delhi (PTI): India has protested in the strongest possible terms the references made by a Canadian minister about Union Home Minister Amit Shah and such "absurd and baseless" allegations will have serious consequences for bilateral ties between the two countries, the Minister of External Affairs said on Saturday.
The comments came after Canada's Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison on Tuesday alleged that Shah ordered a campaign of violence, intimidation and intelligence-gathering targeting Sikh separatists inside Canada.
Morrison had also told Canadian Parliament members of the national security committee that he had confirmed Shah's name to The Washington Post, which first reported the allegations.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said this revelation that high Canadian government officials deliberately leaked unfounded insinuations to international media as part of a conscious strategy to discredit India and influence other nations only confirms the view that the Indian government has long held about the current Canadian government's political agenda and behavioural pattern.
Replying to queries during a weekly press briefing here, Jaiswal said such irresponsible actions will have serious consequences for bilateral ties.
He said India summoned a Canadian High Commission representative on Friday and the official was served a diplomatic note to lodge the protest in strongest terms on the "absurd and baseless" references made by the Canadian deputy minister about India's Union Home Minister.
While addressing the Parliament members, Morrison did not say how Canada knew of Shah's alleged involvement.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had said a year ago that Canada had credible evidence agents of the Indian government were involved in the murder of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June 2023.
Dismissing the allegations as absurd, Indian government officials have consistently denied that Canada provided evidence.
