By Nayak Paudel
Kathmandu, Oct. 21: Social media is a platform to create and share information, ideas and interests, among others, through virtual communication; however, the social media’s misuse has been growing across the globe including in Nepal.
Following the increasing cases of cyber-related issues with new form of technologies, Nepal Police have established a designated cyber bureau since 2018 to prevent such crimes and conduct quality investigation to arrest the culprits.
With the bureau in function, many forms of cyber activities termed illegal by the prevailing laws have been properly investigated with involved individuals arrested.
It was on October 16 when the Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police arrested 19-year-old Nabin Basnet, a resident of Nawalparasi district, on charge of creating a Facebook page “Rapist Association” and posting and commenting raunchy and offensive contents related with rape.
The page was also reported to the Nepal Police through social media by other users following which the Cyber Bureau had looked into the case. The bureau then had arrested Basnet with the help of Nawalparasi District Police Office after receiving an arrest warrant from Kathmandu District Court.
Similarly, the bureau has also registered a case at Kathmandu District Court against Kiran Chhetri (Kiran Buda), a resident of Accham, on October 15 under the Electronic Transactions Act, 2063 for publishing indecent contents of celebrities through different Facebook pages. Chhetri had also formed fake pages of Dhakari Gaunpalika and posting contents offensive to women and jeopardised the harmonious relation subsisting among the people. The celebrities and gaunpalika office had both filed complaints demanding action against the accused as per the prevailing laws.
Likewise, the bureau had also registered a case against 21-year-old Prabin Dhakal aka Nitesh at the Kathmandu District Court on October 15 following a Cyber Tipline Report and a complaint of a minor. Dhakal used to send child pornography to the minors through Facebook’s messenger and disturbed the victim mentally.
According to the bureau, social media is a place for positivity and sharing mutual understanding with others, but its misuse will be punishable.All the individuals arrested for cyber related cases have cases lodged against them under Section 47 of the Electronic Transactions Act, 2063.
As per the prevailing law, publishing or displaying any material in the electronic media, including computer and internet which are prohibited to publish or display by the prevailing law or which may be contrary to the public morality or decent behaviour or any types of materials which may spread hate or jealousy against anyone or which may jeopardize the harmonious relations subsisting among the peoples of various castes, tribes and communities shall be liable to punishment.
According to the cyber bureau, they have surveillance over internet and take action against the individuals misusing social media even without complaints from the victims.
Since unethical activities on social media are punishable, the bureau requests the victims to lodge complaints and asks the public to not misuse the social media.