32 cases registered against people who defamed woman in MLA Mamkoottathil rape case
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): As many as 32 cases have been registered across Kerala against people who allegedly defamed the woman whose complaint led to suspended Congress MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil being booked for sexual assault, police said on Thursday.
According to police, the Cyber Operations Wing is monitoring online platforms where defamatory or content against the complainant is being circulated.
Police said they began registering cases from Monday against those found to have shared the woman's photograph.
Many individuals who had earlier shared the picture of the complainant have since deleted it, an officer with the Cyber Operations Wing said.
The Wing is also monitoring those who share content revealing the woman's identity, the officer added.
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Currently, bailable offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act have been invoked.
A majority of these cases have been registered at cyber police stations in each district.
Police said notices are being issued to the accused, and arrests will be recorded based on evidence that emerges during the probe.
Based on the woman’s complaint, police first registered a case against activist Rahul Easwar and four others.
Easwar was arrested, and a court in Thiruvananthapuram later dismissed his bail plea.
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Bill to regulate deepfakes tabled in Lok Sabha
New Delhi (PTI): A Private Member's Bill seeking a clear legal framework for regulation of deepfakes has been introduced in the Lok Sabha.
The Regulation of Deepfake Bill, introduced by Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde in the House on Friday, aims to protect citizens by mandating prior consent from individuals depicted in deepfake content.
"Misuse of deepfakes for harassment, deception and misinformation has escalated, creating an urgent need for regulatory safeguards," Shinde said.
The Bill also lists penalties for offenders creating or disseminating deepfake content with malicious intent.
"With advancements in artificial intelligence and deep learning, deepfake technology has emerged as a significant tool for media manipulation. While the technology has potential applications in education, entertainment and creative fields, it also poses severe risks when misused, threatening individual privacy, national security and public trust," Shinde said in the statement of objects and reasons in the Bill.
The proposed Bill seeks to establish a clear legal framework to govern the creation, distribution and application of deepfakes in India, said Shinde, a three-term Lok Sabha member from Kalyan.
The Bill also seeks to establish the Deepfake Task Force, a dedicated body to combat national security implications and evaluate the influence of deepfakes on privacy, civic participation, and potential election interference.
The task force will collaborate with academic and private sector institutions to develop technologies that detect manipulated content, thereby promoting credibility in digital media.
The Bill also proposes to establish a fund to support public and private sector initiatives in the detection and deterrence of advanced image manipulation.
A Private Member's Bill is a procedure of Parliament that enables lawmakers, who are not ministers, to draw attention to issues that might not be represented in Government Bills or to highlight the issues and gaps in the existing legal framework that require legislative intervention.
