Veteran journalist and Vartha Bharati editor B.M. Basheer has been the target of a malicious disinformation campaign on social media. False posts circulated online, linking his family and newspaper to terror groups under the fake banner “Operation Sindoor.”

Basheer, a journalist with over three decades of experience, immediately filed a police complaint with the Mangaluru South Police on May 15, 2025, leading to an FIR against those spreading the falsehoods, including Santhosh Hegde, Nitin Shamanoor, Bettampady Chandra, and the editor of Puttur News.

Despite this, as of October 2025:

• No arrests or public charges have been reported.

• Investigation progress remains unclear, and the truth continues to be obscured.

• The role of social media platforms and websites in spreading these false claims has not been addressed publicly.

This ongoing situation highlights the threat to independent journalism and the dangers of disinformation campaigns used to intimidate and defame credible journalists.

When truth is deliberately attacked and justice delayed, will we stand with journalists like B.M. Basheer — or allow disinformation to silence fearless reporting?

#StandWithBMBasheer #PressFreedom #MediaUnderAttack #StopFakeNews #ProtectJournalists #TruthOverHate #VarthaBharati #JournalismIsNotACrime #IndependentMedia #FightDisinformation