The Cyber Crime Cell of the Himachal Pradesh State CID has taken decisive legal action, registering a formal First Information Report (FIR) on Friday. This move comes in response to the widespread circulation of fake, misleading, and malicious posts on various social media platforms targeting the official state government calendar for the year 2026.
Department Raises Alarm Over Deliberate Tampering
The Department of Printing and Stationery, which is the official issuer of the calendar, expressed grave concern over the incident. A spokesperson for the department confirmed that the calendar being shared in the viral posts is not the authentic document. The content has been deliberately edited and manipulated, with original dates distorted and presented in a manner designed to mislead the public.
The clear intent behind these actions, according to the department, is to create confusion and spread misinformation among the citizens. Such acts were condemned as being both unethical and illegal, causing unwarranted reputational harm to a government department responsible for official publications.
Public Urged to Exercise Caution and Refrain from Sharing
In light of the FIR and the ongoing investigation, authorities have issued a strong advisory to the public. People are urged to be vigilant and not to trust or share the fraudulent calendar posts appearing on Facebook and other social media sites.
The department has made a specific request to netizens:
- Do not believe the information in the altered calendar posts.
- Refrain from sharing, posting, or forwarding the fake content.
- Avoid distributing the misleading material in any form.
Legal Repercussions and the Fight Against Digital Misinformation
The registration of the FIR by the State CID Cyber Crime Cell marks a serious step in combating digital falsehoods that target government institutions. It underscores the legal consequences awaiting those who engage in the creation and propagation of forged official documents online.
This incident highlights the growing challenge of cyber-enabled misinformation and the importance of verifying content from official sources before accepting it as genuine. The state machinery is now actively pursuing the culprits behind this campaign to distort the official 2026 calendar.
