Three arrested for uploading ‘vulgar’ content on Youtube

Kathmandu, March 21

Metropolitan Police Range, Teku, recently arrested three persons, including two women, on the charge of uploading a ‘vulgar’ interview on Youtube. Kathmandu District Court today remanded them to additional five-day judicial custody.

Police on Tuesday had arrested Pari Tamang, 27, of Hetauda, who was interviewed by Phulchowki Media, operator of the media group Raj Kumar Kunwar and interviewer Laxmi Moktan from Kalanki under the Electronic Transactions Act.

As per the act, if any person publishes or displays any material in the electronic media including computer, internet which may be contrary to  public morality or decent behaviour or any type of material which may spread hate or jealousy against anyone or which may jeopardise the harmonious relations subsisting among the peoples of various castes, tribes and communities, s/he shall be liable to a jail term not exceeding five years or a fine of Rs 100, 000, or both.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Hobindra Bogati at MPR said the video contained  ‘obscene material’. “We arrested them after receiving complaints from general public,” he added.

As no formal complaint or FIR was registered against the accused, the arrest is the first of its kind, said DSP Bogati.

The government in February had registered Information Technology Bill proposing fine up to Rs 1.5 million and jail term up to five years or both for posting or propagating objectionable contents on social networking sites.

The bill proposes to impose a fine not exceeding Rs 1.5 million and jail term not exceeding five years or both for the above mentioned crimes.

If social networking sites fail to remove objectionable contents from their sites after being told by the government authority, they will face a fine up to Rs 30,000 and jail term up to three years or both.

Social networking sites should register themselves with government bodies and social networking sites currently operating in Nepal should also register with government bodies within the stipulated time frame. The government can also prevent social networking sites not registered in Nepal from operating in the country, as per the bill.