City crime branch police on Thursday arrested Mahesh Vikram Hegde, the founder of news website Postcard News, for spreading alleged fake news through social media posts about a Jain monk being attacked by Muslims.

Confirming the arrest, N Satheesh Kumar, the joint commissioner of police (crime), who heads the CCB, said Hegde was picked up from the central Majestic area of the city. He was produced before a magistrate and sent to police custody for 14 days.

“Contrary to the claims by Hegde, the monk had met with a road accident and sustained the injuries,” Kumar said.