Woman arrested in Kolkata for spreading fake rumour about coronavirus-infected doctor

A 29-year-old woman in West Bengal has been arrested by the Kolkata police on Friday in connection with the posting of a fake social media post about a Beliaghata doctor being infected with Coronavirus, as per reports. 

The arrest was made on the basis of an FIR filed with the cybercrime branch of Kolkata Police by the state health department. A case has been lodged against her under section 66 of the Information Technology Act, 200, read with section 505 (1)(b)/2 of the Indian Penal Code. 

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According to reports, the woman had posted that a doctor got infected with coronavirus while treating patients in a state-run hospital. She had also uploaded a fake page of a Bengali newspaper. The woman is a singer and an actor in a theatre group. Earlier, a state health department official categorically said not a single doctor or health worker in the state has contracted the virus.

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Detective department against fake news

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday warned people against posting or sharing fake information on the COVID-19 pandemic, saying strong action would be taken against those found guilty.

Banerjee, addressing a press meet at state secretariat Nabanna, said a fake post claiming a doctor treating coronavirus suspects has fallen ill was doing the rounds on social media, and investigating agencies are on the job trying to track the source of this "misinformation".

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"This is totally false. Please don't play with fire. Our detective department, CID are working round the clock to track those behind such posts. We will take strong action after tracking them down," Banerjee said. The chief minister also said the ones posting fake news on social media are fuelling fear and panic "at this hour of crisis". "Please refrain from spreading rumours. Those found guilty will be penalised."

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(with agency inputs)