Surat: Kapodra police have booked an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) worker for allegedly circulating a fake government circular on social media claiming a sharp increase in petrol and diesel prices.

The accused, identified as Ravi Ghanshyam Kalthiya who claims to be Ward Chief of AAP, had posted the fabricated letter on his Facebook account, falsely attributing it to the Petroleum Ministry of the Government of India. The misleading post quickly went viral, creating panic and confusion among the public.

According to police, the accused is a native of Savarkundla in Amreli district and currently resides in Samrat Society in Surat. Authorities said the fake message was circulated at a sensitive time amid international tensions involving Iran and the United States, potentially aggravating public concern.

Kapodra police registered a case and launched an investigation led by PSI M.V. Godhani and his team. Preliminary findings confirmed that the circular was entirely fake and that no such announcement had been made by the government.

Police said the accused either fabricated the document or obtained it from an unknown source before sharing it online. Officials added that such actions constitute an offence under the law, and further investigation is underway.