The Cyber police have arrested two persons for allegedly making changes to a mail that portrayed a palatial mansion with a caption stating that it belonged to CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Cyber police station, J. Sukumara Pillai said the duo-- K. R. Manoj and Karthik--were arrested under the amended Section 66 A of the IT Act.

Manoj, a resident of ‘Kunnil veedu’, Bharanikavu, Kayankulam, is a welding technician based in Arica. Karthik, a chartertered accountancy student, is resident of ‘Valliyadethu Illom’, East Gate, Ettumanoor in Kottayam district.

According to Mr. Pillai, the 39-year-old Manoj made additions to the mail received from Dinesh Nair based in Dubai and forwarded it to several mailing groups. The 20-year-old Karthik also made additions to the mail and forwarded it to several people.

The mansion in the mail had been traced to Kunnamkulam in Thirssur district and is owned by a Non-Resident Keralite Pramosh now working in Saudi Arabia. Pramosh is a producer of a TV serial and some episodes of the serial were shot in the mansion.

The CPI(M) state secretary had taken up the issue with the Director General of Police Jacob Punnose following information that the malicious mail was widely being circulated. The DGP forwarded the complaint to the Cyber police for investigation.

According to Mr. Pillai, it was the first First Information Report that was registered by the cyber police after the amended Section 66A of the IT Act came into effect on October 27 this year. As per this, the Cyber police can register a case against anyone who forwards a mail without verifying the truth of the contents.

Mr. Pillai and Vinayakumaran Nair, Dy.SP, Hi-tech Cell, who was also present at the briefing, said they had got leads on the person who created the mail and is zeroing on them. The accused will be produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate III.