Delhi Police PRO Chinmoy Biswal said Crime Branch has taken cognizance of such misinformation mongering. (Express File/Tashi Tobgyal) The Delhi Police Crime Branch registered an FIR against persons who are spreading false news on social media, said officials on Monday.
Police said there are several “motivated elements” on social media who’ve alleged that the police are stopping oxygen tankers/cylinders and are also preventing people from sharing and amplifying Covid resource information.
Delhi Police shared a tweet by a man named Ratnesh Pal. The tweet said, “ Police stopped an oxygen tanker for an hour at Rajeev Chowk. The tanker was on its way to Delhi’s Fortis hospital. Lives of people are in danger. Why is Delhi Police misbehaving like this? You are stopping tankers…cognizance must be taken”
Officials said the news is fake. Dr. Eish Singhal, DCP (New Delhi) replied to Pal’s tweet saying “ Mischief is out yet again. Fraudsters are spreading misinformation. The alleged place (in the tweet) is not Rajiv Chowk, Delhi. No truck detained in Delhi yet. Delhi Police….provides green corridor to oxygen cylinders and tankers to reach the hospital. #SayNoToMisinformation”. Police said tweets like these with pictures and videos were being uploaded. This “discredits” the good work the police are doing at the time of crisis.
Delhi Police PRO Chinmoy Biswal said Crime Branch has taken cognizance of such misinformation mongering. “ Amid pandemic crisis, this can cause panic and lawlessness. We have initiated legal action on such social media posts and an FIR has been registered,” said DCP Biswal.
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