34 cases filed against fake news circulation in Punjab

Director general of police said of the total cases registered between March 21 and April 6, 27 relate to WhatsApp forwards and misinformation

The Punjab Police has registered 34 cases of pertaining to circulation of fake news and rumours on the social media amid the Covid-19 crisis.

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Of the total cases registered between March 21 and April 6, 27 relate to WhatsApp forwards and misinformation, said director general of police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta.

The police are also taking stern action against attempts of spreading communal strife through social media, the DGP said, adding that a sedition case was registered on Friday against a Ludhiana resident. As per information the said person had shared a post on a Facebook post seeking to mislead the people about availability of critical medical equipment, and to spread hatred against the state government.

Fake Tik Tok vidoes, unsubstantiated audio messages, forwards of provocative and false news are all under the scanner of Punjab Police. The DGP had earlier this month constituted a special team headed by an ADGP-rank officer to monitor all social media platforms for any instance of fake news or rumours affecting citizens during the lockdown.

Giving details of some of the key cases registered in the last 17 days, the DGP said five have been filed in Sangrur and four in Bathinda for crimes relating to exchange of fake videos and false audio messages, and creating panic on WhatsApp regarding death of a person due to coronavirus.