Udupi: Dramatic twist in Facebook case: Conspiracy by Dubai-based girl?
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (UM)
Udupi, Feb 17: The VHP and Bajrang Dal on Saturday February 15 had called for Brahmavar bandh and protested against the arrest of Goraksha Dal leader Dinesh Mendon in connection to last month's Facebook incident wherein Mohammed Yaseer, a student had been held for allegedly uploading obscene photos of a girl on the social networking site.
It was said that Dinesh Mendon along with a few others had been charged with catching hold of and robbing Yaseer. However, police investigation has revealed a deeper conspiracy, and in fact, the entire Facebook incident seems to have turned on its head.
It is said that Yaseer was friendly with a youth named Mohammed Hani. As per police sources, on January 7 Yaseer was taken to Hebri via Hiriadka market road by Hani in Yaseer's bike. Once they reached Hebri, Yaseer was taken to a deserted spot where seven others joined them, among whom Dinesh Mendon was one.
The seven, identified as Ritesh Soans of Atrady, Sandeep Parkala, Manoj, Dinesh Mendon, Ratan, Pranesh, and Putta, an auto driver in Hiriadka, reportedly robbed him of his bike and mobile phone. They also allegedly blackmailed him by showing him the obscene photos of him and the girl (which at that time had not appeared on Facebook), and demanded Rs 2 lac. As per the police, they also forcibly took his signature on a white sheet of paper.
Two days later, on January 9, Yaseer filed a complaint of robbery against the eight including Mendon.
The very next day, Yaseer was arrested for allegedly uploading photos of him in a compromising position with a girl. About 10 days later, he was granted bail.
Consipiracy by Dubai-based girl?
Soon after Yaseer's arrest, the police had said that Yaseer had a girlfriend in Dubai who along with Yaseer had plotted to put the victim girl in trouble.
However, in a new twist, police investigation has revealed that the Dubai-based girlfriend, with an intention to scare Yaseer for having an affair with another girl, had reportedly hired the eight persons to do the job. However, it is said that she did not tell them to blackmail him or extort money, but only to scare him. The idea to blackmail was of the eight accused, it is learnt.
The Dubai-based girl also reportedly transferred money to the accounts of all the eight accused for carrying out her instructions.
Following this revelation, the police arrested six of the eight accused, including Dinesh Mendon about a week ago. They were produced in court and remanded in judicial custody. Of the eight, two - Manoj and Pranesh - are still said to be absconding.
It is also alleged that apart from robbing Yaseer's bike on January 7, the accused also stole another bike from his house in Katapady.
However, it is yet to be known who exactly uploaded the obscene photos on Facebook, whether it was indeed Yaseer himself or the eight accused who could have easy access to Facebook through his mobile phone. Further investigations are on.