Surat, October 5, 2026: Surat Cyber Crime Branch has arrested a 47-year-old woman after she allegedly posted an objectionable social media reel involving Mahatma Gandhi’s image printed on a ₹500 currency note.
The woman has been identified as Simran Patel, a resident of the Adajan area of Surat. Police said she is a homemaker and content creator whose Instagram account has around 10 lakh followers.
According to investigators, the controversial video was uploaded on October 1, a day before Gandhi Jayanti. Police alleged that the currency note and Mahatma Gandhi’s image were presented in a manner considered objectionable and inappropriate.
The video attracted criticism after circulating on social media. A complaint was subsequently submitted to police, following which the Cyber Crime Branch began examining the account and other digital evidence connected with the reel.
The reel had reportedly been deleted by the time the formal investigation progressed. Police nevertheless traced the content and account through available technical and digital evidence before taking action against Patel.
A case has been registered under Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, which deals with publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form. Patel was subsequently taken into custody as part of the investigation.
Police are examining when the reel was created, the circumstances in which it was uploaded and how widely it circulated before being removed.
Authorities have also advised social media users and content creators to exercise caution while publishing material involving national figures, religious symbols or other sensitive subjects merely for online engagement.
The arrest has once again highlighted the legal responsibilities attached to social media content, particularly when posts are alleged to cross the line from humour or creative expression into material covered by existing cyber laws.
The allegations against Patel remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings, and guilt can only be determined through the legal process.
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