Mohali: The Punjab Police's cyber cell has registered a case against 35 social media accounts, including those linked to journalists and immigration consultants based in Canada and Punjab, for allegedly targeting a Mohali-based immigration consultant with unverified online content.
The case stems from a complaint by counsel representing GB Realty Group, who alleged that unidentified persons had circulated false rumours about the company and its managing director on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and other social media platforms, linking the company to an alleged fraud in Canada.
The cybercrime police station in Sector 79, SAS Nagar, registered the FIR on October 13 under Section 356(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 66 of the Information Technology Act.
“The allegations were false and baseless and had been circulated to damage the group’s reputation,” the counsel said.
The complaint also included a list of links to the accounts allegedly sharing the content and sought their removal and the blocking of the accounts. Furthermore, a request has been made to the police to have these links removed and the associated accounts blocked.
In response, the Canadian account holders named in the FIR have denied the allegations, describing them as an attack on freedom of expression.
Entrepreneur Mario Zelaya wrote on social media, “I am under investigation in India. A foreign government believes it can take action regarding statements made by Canadians on Canadian soil.”
Similarly, journalist Harrison Faulkner said there was no doubt that “this is an attempt by a foreign police force to interfere with the operations of a Canadian newsroom.”
Political analyst Rattan Dhillon noted that a complaint has been filed against him, alleging that he spread misinformation, an accusation he is prepared to face.
The controversy comes amid developments in the Canadian province of Ontario, where the government referred the matter of student financial aid (OSAP) at private career colleges to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
An initial audit revealed signs of systematic irregularities within the funding program, prompting the government to task the firm KPMG with conducting a comprehensive review. The preliminary probe also raised questions regarding shared ownership structures and the interconnections between private colleges and immigration recruitment services; however, no allegations against any party have been proven at this stage.