Sourav Ganguly lodges police complaint over Facebook page damaging his reputation

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has filed a police complaint against a Facebook page and media platform over a fake post falsely claiming an ED raid at his residence, alleging it was defamatory and damaging to his reputation.

In Short

• Ganguly filed a police complaint over a fake post claiming raid at his home
• The complaint targets a Facebook page for spreading defamatory content
• Police have begun examining the matter after the complaint was lodged

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has lodged a police complaint with Thakurpukur Police Station over alleged defamatory content being circulated on social media. The complaint is directed against an unofficial Facebook page named “Sourav Ganguly Fans” and also mentions media platform Sportzwiki.

India Today reports that a post falsely claimed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had conducted a raid at Ganguly’s residence, a claim he has strongly denied as completely untrue and misleading.

Ganguly has alleged that such fabricated information is being circulated with the intent to damage his reputation. Following the complaint filed on June 15, police authorities have begun examining the matter.

TENDULKAR, GAVASKAR TARGETTED EARLIER

Ganguly is not the first cricketer to be targeted by fake or defamatory social media posts. In 2023, Sachin Tendulkar was subjected to misuse of his name, image and voice in fake online advertisements and posts.

Tendulkar filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police Crime Branch against unidentified individuals for using his identity to mislead people and potentially dupe users online. Following his complaint, the Mumbai Police Cyber Cell registered a case under sections 420, 465 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and launched an investigation.

Similarly, Sunil Gavaskar has consistently taken a strong stand against the misuse of his identity on social media. He has approached legal authorities over multiple instances of fake and defamatory content circulating in his name, where false quotes and manipulated posts were being attributed to him without consent.

According to reports from Delhi High Court proceedings, Gavaskar filed a plea seeking protection of his personality rights, stating that several social media platforms and websites were wrongly using his name and image. The court took cognisance of the matter and directed platforms such as Google, Meta and X (formerly Twitter) to remove infringing content and take action against fake posts within strict timelines.

These cases highlight how even legendary cricketers continue to battle misinformation and identity misuse in the digital age, with legal intervention becoming an increasingly important tool to protect their reputation.

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