YouTubers face investigation over fake claims linked to Durga Prasai's arrest
KATHMANDU: In Nepal, almost a dozen YouTubers are being investigated for allegedly disseminating false information related to the detention of controversial medical entrepreneur Durga Prasai. These content producers will be arrested by Nepal Police's Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) for creating and disseminating a fake movie in which Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is accused of investing more than NPR 32 billion in Cambodia.
Prasai recently hosted a YouTuber conference at his Bhaktapur home, where he provided fictitious documents as the basis for the deceptive video content. These documents have been shown to be fake, and investigators are concentrating on the individuals who utilized them to fabricate and spread fraudulent information, a CIB officer said.
After examining the movies made with the forged documents, the CIB identified the person responsible for their dissemination. The seriousness of the situation was underscored by a CIB official who stated, "Those who spread this false information will face our investigation and potential arrest."
Durga Prasai is accused of cybercrime, document forgery, and slander. He was arrested after being found guilty of spreading false allegations against Prime Minister Oli, the leader of the CPN-UML party. Oli's alleged NPR 32 billion investment in Cambodia's telecom sector was the main subject of the accusations.
There were serious mistakes in the Prime Minister's name among other things in the widely viewed video that Prasai posted on Facebook. This caused law enforcement to go at the claims more closely and cast doubt on their veracity.
After Prasai's video was found to include fake material, the CIB took action to have him removed from his home. Since then, the inquiry has broadened to include YouTubers who helped spread the false material.
Prasai is presently facing formal charges, and those responsible for spreading the unfounded allegations are being hunted down. The example highlights the growing issues brought on by misinformation and the role social media plays in propagating false narratives.