Noida: An FIR has been registered against the owner of a Facebook page for allegedly putting up a fake and misleading video purportedly showing waterlogging at the luggage drop and check-in area of Noida International Airport.A security official at the airport, Mayank Kumar, filed a complaint at the Jewar police station on Saturday. He told the cops that the owner of the Facebook page ‘Sach Bolo’ had uploaded manipulated visuals and was spreading misinformation. The video had been uploaded by the page on Aug 14.The video, accessed by TOI, features an anchor standing near the check-in zone in ankle-deep water. Behind her, security officials and passengers can be seen wading through water. As the video progresses, she claims that the airport had been poorly constructed despite the high investment. She also questioned the work of the state govt.The airport’s underground passage, designed to resemble the iconic riverfront steps of Varanasi, had been left in ankle-deep water after a spell of heavy rain on Aug 11. It forced the airport staff to rush in with pumps.Kumar wrote in his complaint that the fake video could create confusion and unnecessary alarm among the public, besides misleading passengers and other stakeholders associated with the airport. He said the circulation of such content could also adversely affect the reputation of Noida International Airport, which is a major public infrastructure project in the region. A screenshot of the social media post and its link were also submitted along with the complaint.He has requested the station house officer of Jewar police station to take cognisance of the social media account and the purported content it had posted. The case has been filed under BNS sections 336(4), 340(2) (both related to forgery), 353(2) (statements conducing to public mischief) and 356 (criminal defamation).Police are expected to examine the authenticity of the video, its source and the circumstances in which it was created and circulated. They have repeatedly emphasised the importance of verifying information circulating on social media to prevent rumours and misinformation from confusing the public.
