The elder, K. Chhawnthuama, of the Presbyterian Church and residing at Durtlang, about eight kilometre from here, was arrested three days after Lal Thanhawla filed an FIR at the Aizawl police station here.
Chhawnthuama was subsequently remanded to police custody for three days.
Police sources said that Chhawnthuama's cell phone was traced and found to be the sender or the offencive messages.
He was arrested under sections 500 (defamation) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC and section 66 A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (Amended in 2008).