We have been contributing to the Indian board and have been meriting the constructive posts but I saw a repercussion of that.
When Pakhi was tagged, few people raised fingers at me too for "exchanging" merit with Bitcoin Smith.
As you all know we have just been meriting the posts of the only active people of our local board.
Since there are very few people active, it became a coincidence for sharing almost similar number of merits and creating an illusion of "exchanging merits".
So what it has become now is that despite liking Bitcoin Smith's posts I am afraid to merit him again because of the alleged accusation.
This is bound to happen since the number of users active in this section is only a handful. However exchange of merits is not a clear evidence of accounts being connected. The money transfer evidence in that case was solid and it was the nail in the coffin.
Nobody will give you negative trust for having exchanged merits, so do so at your own will without any prejudice or restriction if you find a post worthy enough.