Case against Gujarat prankster who tweeted fake SOS call

Ahmedabad, 16 December 2011

The Mumbai Cyber Crime cell is in search of a prankster Twitter user (handle #yoursachingothi) who tweeted that he had met with an accident on Gujarat Highway and needed the help. One Ramesh Solanki has filed complaint with the cybre crime cell in Mumbai against the prank.

One person on Twitter claiming to be Sachin Gothi had tweeted that he had med with an accident on NH-8 near Rajkot. Sachin Gothi who said that he had met with an accident on NH-8 near Rajkot. “Right hand leg not working, no one around, somebody picked my wallet and heavy bleeding,” Sachin wrote on Twitter. Sachin also tweeted that he had been lying helpless for three hours with no response from emergency services.

One Ramesh Solanki read this tweet and tried to help. Ramesh read Sachin’s tweet in the late hours between November 12 and 13, and called the Gujarat police headquarters to seek the help. The Gujarat rural police rushed on the spot, but they did not find anyone injured there.

When Solanki called up the emergency service in Rajkot, he was informed that an ambulance had been dispatched to help the injured. Ambulance returned without finding any victim, Solanki said in his complaint to the cyber police.

Meanwhile, Gothi tweeted again stating that he was being taken back to Mumbai in an ambulance and had suffered 6 fractures and received 32 stitches.

“It was surprising as the highway is busy all the time. Anyone meeting with an accident cannot go unnoticed. After reading a few more of Gothi’s tweets, I raised doubts as the accused stated that he had sustained 6 fractures and received 32 stitches and had been picked up by the ambulance. How can someone in such a bad state type and tweet?” said Solanki. “The ambulance’s response confirmed his suspicion,” he added.

On December 12, Solanki wrote to the cyber crime cell of Mumbai police complaining that Gothi had raised a false alarm and misguided emergency services and the police.

“If such pranksters are let off, people who are actually in need of help will not get it. I requested the Gujarat police to help me with the records of the services being put to help the accused. Based on the records, I have filed the complaint.”

Senior Inspector Mukund Pawar, cyber cell Mumbai, said, “I don’t remember any such complaint. I’ll have to check.”