knead, mix
捏 centers on working a soft substance by hand: kneading dough or clay, and by extension mixing ingredients together thoroughly.
捏 combines 扌 (hand) with 圼, which likely contributes the sound and relates to pressing or working with the hands. The exact historical development of 圼 is uncertain.
The hand radical 扌 beside 圼 suggests a hand pressing and working a soft mass. Picture fingers kneading dough until it is smooth and mixed.
For ネツ, imagine kneading dough so vigorously that your hands get hot, like a net of heat: nets -> ネツ, and the warmth comes from the kneading motion.
fabrication; forgery; falsehood; hoax
to knead; to mix with fingers
forming by hand; handwork
kneading (by hand); making by hand
chicken or fish meatloaf made with egg
to tamper; to mess with
to knead thoroughly; to work up
to knead together; to combine (two ingredients, etc.)
kneading machine; kneader
fabricated article; fabricated (news) story; cooked-up (news) report