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Rachna (Manager)     07 January 2013

Exposed a fraudster on facebook-defamation complaint

After I moved to US, my ex boyfriend got married but hid it from me and continued relations with me. He asked me to trasnfer money to account in India twice. The second money transfer was for his passport renewal and visa fees so that he could come to US and register marriage with me in US and settle here. I found his wife's facebook profile and emailed all her friends about her husband's fraud. His wife filed a police complaint of cyber defamation against me. What can I do? I have given the bank transaction details to police and asked them to verify passport renewal date (passport was renewed six months in advance because during US visa interview one cannot have passport expiring in next six months).

But what more do I need to do to get my money back? If I told the truth in Facebook email, will it still be called defamation? Please help.



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 8 Replies

Saurabh..V (Law Consultant)     07 January 2013

@Rachna

 

My views differ from the learned advocate Ashish Ji.

 

Though while speaking truth, you are not restricted by anything however, why & where to speak and with what intention is important. Maybe your stance could be to file a complaint against your ex-bf in police station for his fraud (as you call it), but sending emails to friends of his wife is highly derogatory.

 

You first need to get your composure back and realize the need of the hour. You might have lended the money on some terms and if the beneficiary refuses to obey those terms and rejects your claim to return this money, then you can file a case of cheating against him. But what makes you send emails not to the friends of your ex-gf BUT to the friends of his wife?

 

This is not as simple as you feel. You might have spoken the truth but the right place to do so, is the court of law or a police station but never a public forum which is not accorded by law or court.

 

By the way, how you managed to get emails of the friends of his wife? No one can peek into such details unless you don't have access to password of the facebook account. Pls be cautious and don't be provoked by anyone claiming to bring justice to you. You have to understand that, although you ex-bf shall be punished if your claims are proven, but that defamation suits rock-still against you and there are all possibilities that you woudl be sucked into it. Consult some IT Act expert.

 

//peace

/Saurabh..V

1 Like

Rachna (Manager)     07 January 2013

@Ashish and @Saurabh, Thank you for your reply.

I want my money and gifts (from US) back. I just had my ex boyfriend's phone number and his sister's phone number and did not know where they live. When I asked for my money back, both of them changed their phone numbers. When I found out my ex-bf's wife on facebook, I emailed her on facebook and waited for 5 weeks for her reply but she did not. So I ended up sending email to all her friends on facebook and all the ex-bf's sister's friends also. I did not hack into facebook account but used the facebook email addresses to send a mass email.

I did not want to do it but they left me with no choice. They were just ignoring me and changed their phone numbers to get away with not returning my money and gifts. I talked to police to take my complaint but they refused to take it and asked me to come in person to the police station. How can I file a complaint from US? I feel that they are also taking advantage of me living in US which means I can't really fly to India often for court hearings. Please advise what should I do?

Saurabh..V (Law Consultant)     07 January 2013

@Rachna

 

If this is not a very old case and your ex-bf was using his phone within last one year, then it would be a good news. Telecom companies are requried by law to keep all the details with them for a year. So if you are able to provide phone number of your ex-bf to the police then they can trace the details within one week and detain the accused immediately. 

 

In my view, yours is a case of Cheating S.417 IPC & Criminal Breach of Trust S.406 IPC which is cognizable and non-bailable offence. Hence once the case is filed under these sections, the person would be bound to return your money.

 

For the purpose of filing an FIR, you can seek help from any of your relative or friend in India. They can go to the police station in with a written complaint and they would register the FIR instantly. If anyone refuses to register the complaint, the ask your friend/relative to call 100 seek their assistance to register the FIR. If still you cannot get the FIR registered, then you can approach any local NGO or may be Indian Against Corruption volunteer to get help. Else you can make call to any news channel to take their help and expose the police. There are other ways also to get the FIr registered like sending letter to Comissioner of Police, Chief Minister of State etc etc etc.

 

Once the FIR is registered, you would be required to visit India once or may be twice. You can engage a lawyer in India who would convince the Judge that as you live in USA so he/she should ensure that your statement is registered on the specific date and no delay or adjournment is allowed. I think it would be easy.

 

Additionally, I strongly feel that once your ex-bf is arrested, he would immediately get ready to compromise with you and return the money. That would be more better to settle the case of of court. In case of S.406 IPC / S.417 IPC, generally people prefer out of court settlement and get their due money. All the best!

 

If you need any further assistance you may reply..

 

//peace

/Saurabh..V

1 Like

Rachna (Manager)     07 January 2013

Update:

I told police hadling the defamation complaint that other party closed all doors of communication to avoid me and avoid giving my money and gifts back, that is why I had to email my ex-bf's wife's FB friends. Even in my email, what I wrote was truth (exposed a fraudster's deeds). The police just updated me that my ex-bf is willing to return my money and monetary value of gifts. Woo-hoo! Don't have to file a separate cheating, fraud or breach of trust case to get my money and gifts back. But what will happen to defamation complaint now? Do I need to have a lawyer go to court and file a petition to void it? What do I need to do?

kartikeya (lawyer/cyber law consultant/cyber crime investigator)     20 January 2013

what you did is a online defamation for sure...as you emailed to her friends... you need to settle this issue out of court... as defamation complain is still pending..

Rachna (Manager)     20 January 2013

This matter has been closed and I recall my query. Thanks everybody for pitching in your thoughts.


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