Coronavirus update: Health worker arrested for spreading fake news

A health worker named Anil Tank has been arrested in Rajasthan on charges of spreading fake news about the coronavirus pandemic on social media.

The health worker was posted in Rajasthan's Dausa district. Tank was a contractual employee who worked as a senior treatment supervisor in Mahuwa. He was found spreading fake news related to the number of coronavirus positive cases in the state and isolation wards that were being set up in the state to treat patients, according to Mahuwa police.

Mahuwa circle DSP Shankar Lal said that Tank was arrested for his "statement conducing to public mischief."

PTI quoted Dausa's Chief Medical and Health Officer Pooranmal Meena as stating, "The employee was terminated from the service for spreading rumour on social media."

This isn't the first case where people have been arrested for spreading fake news over the deadly virus. According to an India Today report, a 32-year old man was arrested in Rayagdh district of Odisha for allegedly spreading fake news over the virus in Odisha.

The accused was identified as Satyanarayan Samal, also known as Dipu, hails from Ambadola area. Samal had posted about a Kerala-return person who tested coronavirus positive and was under treatment in Rayagada. The accused later claimed that he received this information on WhatsApp.

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