‘Objectionable reel’: Reel creator arrested for insulting Mahatma Gandhi

Surat: A 47-year-old content creator in Gujarat’s Surat has been arrested for allegedly posting a Reel in which a ₹500 currency note bearing Mahatma Gandhi’s image was handled in an objectionable manner, police said.

The woman, identified as Simran Patel, has around one million followers on Instagram and lives in the Adajan area of Surat. According to police, she uploaded the video on her social media accounts between 1 pm and 6 pm on October 1, a day before Gandhi Jayanti.

Surat Police announced the arrest on X, sharing a before-and-after video that showed Patel handling the currency note in the Reel, followed by visuals of her in handcuffs.

Police also shared footage in which Patel was seen apologising for posting the video. Officials said the Reel contained inappropriate visuals and gestures involving the image of Mahatma Gandhi.

The action followed a complaint filed by social worker Dharmesh Gami with the Surat Crime Branch. Police registered a case against Patel under Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, which relates to the publication or transmission of obscene material in electronic form.

Police appealed to people not to post or circulate content that could potentially create social discord.

According to the police, Patel moved to Surat after her marriage 17 years ago and has been regularly creating and posting short videos on social media. She has studied up to Class 12, police said.