How social media botched up Manisha death case

The death of a young schoolteacher, Manisha, under mysterious circumstances has come as a challenge to the CBI after the Haryana Police failed to convince her family with its investigation theory.

With the police came up with the suicide theory, Manisha’s family was quick to reject it, necessitating the government to hand over the probe to the CBI. However, the police’s probe was unsatisfactory as social media erupted with conspiracy theories, rumours and speculation and deepened the mystery.

The CBI now has a tough task to answer the questions.

The Bhiwani police have registered a case against social media operations by identifying about 34 links of accounts, alleging that they spread rumours, bringing to the fore the fact that social media is a double-edged weapon. Police officials alleged that social media came up with so many theories that it threw the investigation into chaos.

The case has also highlighted the role of social media, which is hardly an authentic source of information for consumers, i.e. public, and more importantly, for the system.

As an officer put it, “Social media tinkered so much with the case that it sabotaged the whole investigation.” Now, the police have been catching up with these social media operators by registering FIRs against them under various sections of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the BNS, 2023, on the allegations that they shared provocative posts and videos online, aimed at disturbing public order and inciting hatred in society.

The DGP, Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor, is particularly tough on social media, stating that some mischievous elements spread videos and posts to grab headlines and spread rumours. The police had registered an FIR and arrested one person and identified social media links which are under scanner.

However, the social media phenomenon, which is emerging stronger due to cheaper cost of operations, is apparent. Though CM Nayab Singh Saini recently held a meeting with YouTubers in Chandigarh for ‘better coordination’, giving them a sort of validation, they are proving to be a nuisance in the functioning of the police and the administration in the field.

Mandeep Punia, a Delhi-based social media operator and alumnus of IIMC, Delhi, maintained that it was not wrong to say that many social media platforms presented wrong and misleading facts regarding Manisha case. “The flow of information cannot be so raw, unfiltered and without gatekeeping, as has been witnessed in Haryana recently. Also, there is no self-regulation as they are not trained to perform the duty of mediapersons,” he commented.

However, advocate Vikram Mittal maintained that until there was a law to regulate social media, the government should not take action as they had the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19 of the Constitution.

The death of Manisha, 19, a promising girl who was making a living by teaching schoolkids, and was keen to pursue further studies, dreaming of a bright life, was tragic in itself.

As per the sequence of events, she went missing on August 11 and her body was found two days later. A purportedly suicide note was recovered. Then, a murder FIR was lodged, followed by three post-mortem examinations. In between, the government transferred the SP and suspended five cops. Then came the twist — is it a suicide?

Though the DGP refused to doubt the integrity of doctors and forensic scientists who conducted the post-mortem, the nearly 10-days' developments indicate that the police should have handled the probe better. Over to the CBI now!