Bihar YouTuber Arrested For Fake Videos Of Migrant Workers Attacked In Tamil Nadu

Popular YouTuber Manish Kashyap from Bihar, who has several cases filed against him by the Bihar and Tamil Nadu police for allegedly making fake videos of Bihari migrant workers in the southern state, was arrested on Saturday morning. This is the third arrest in the case.

Kashyap was arrested at the Jagdishpur police station of Bettiah in the West Champaran district, where he surrendered after the Bihar Police, and it's Economic Offences Unit, reached his home to attach his properties. He is accused of circulating false and misleading videos about residents of Bihar working in Tamil Nadu.

"Kashyap, wanted by Bihar Police and Tamil Nadu Police in fake news matter of labourers issue in the southern state, surrendered before the police on Saturday fearing arrest and attachment of his belongings," a statement issued by the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police said.

The EOU has registered three cases against Kashyap and others on the charges of "indulging in spreading fake videos of migrants being killed and beaten up in Tamil Nadu on social media".

The state police had formed a special team after obtaining arrest warrants for Manish Kashyap and Yuvraj Singh Rajput on March 15, and conducted raids in other states to arrest them.

"Six teams constituted by the EOU along with Patna and Champaran Police were continuously conducting raids on his locations at various places and hideouts since yesterday (Friday). He surrendered at Jagdishpur police station of Bettiah on Saturday, fearing arrest and other legal action," the police statement added.

Earlier, the police had found evidence of financial irregularities against Manish Kashyap alias Tripurari Kumar Tiwari, and froze all his bank accounts. Police had also charged him for spreading misleading information through his official Twitter handle by posting a fake picture of his arrest.

The EOU had on March 6 registered its first FIR in connection with the case and booked four persons, including Kashyap.

EOU officials have already arrested Aman Kumar from Jamui in connection with its investigation into the first FIR. Those named in that FIR included Aman Kumar, Rakesh Tiwary, Yuvraj Singh Rajput, and Manish Kashyap.

JS Gangwar, Additional Director General of Bihar Police (Headquarters), had told reporters last week that the EOU probe has found that 30 fake videos of migrants getting beaten up and killed in Tamil Nadu were widely shared on social media, spreading panic among the labourers and forcing them to flee the southern state.

The Tamil Nadu Police has also registered 13 cases to probe the matter.

Earlier, the Bihar government had also sent a four-member team of top officials to Tamil Nadu to coordinate with officers who were investigating the matter in the southern state.