On Sunday, the Crime Branch of Bengaluru police has reportedly apprehended a 46-year-old man named Sameer Ullah after he uploaded a video of a crowded hospital in Patna and falsely attributed it to a dedicated Coronavirus treatment ward in the Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru. The accused was nabbed within a few hours of posting the video on his Facebook account named ‘Saif Adds.’
As per the report, the accused is a timber merchant and a resident of Tilaknagar, Bengaluru. He had uploaded the viral video on his Facebook account, following which the cops zeroed on him through his IP address. Reportedly, a case was registered by the Cyber Crime police station under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and National Disaster Management Act.
Bengaluru police chief Bhaskar Rao confirmed that the accused person who had spread fake news to create panic has been arrested.
City Crime Branch swiftly identified and arrested this person who has been circulating false videos of panic in Victoria Hospital, Bangalore. Kudos to all doctors and medical professionals who are doing their best.FALSE NEWS BUSTED pic.twitter.com/2o9ZTFns4z
— Bhaskar Rao IPS (@deepolice12) July 19, 2020
The accused, Sameer Ullah (46), had on Saturday night, posted a video from his Facebook profile, Saif Adds. The video is of scores of people wearing masks, gathered in a small space in a hospital, and the person filming it expresses concern that it is a threat to medical staff and patients.
Covid19 Patients standing at Victoria Hospital Now. No beds available for them. Dismaying doctor is conveying to his authority through vdo clip . pic.twitter.com/xJyC87mP2W
— Arun Sinha #WithRG (@ArunPrasadSinha) July 19, 2020
In the viral video, one doctor named Dr. Rana Singh could be heard as saying, “Ma’am, this is the amount of rush that we are getting at room number 5 (in) OPD ground floor. Looking at the amount of patients here, it is a complete threat to all the doctors and staff of the hospital including the patients. That is why I am forwarding this video to you. This is Dr Rana Singh here. Thank you, ma’am. This entire amount of people standing right in front of room number OPD-5, more than 100 in number. Please take immediate action as soon as possible.”
Cops debunk misinformation
According to the cops, Sameer had said that he received the video on Whatsapp and uploaded it online without verification. “We are trying to find out who spread this false information,” an official was quoted as saying. JCP (Crime) Sandeep Patil informed that the viral video is fake and has no links with the Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru. He stated, “People should be careful not to share or forward any false video or message about the pandemic.”
Replying to an inquiry about the authenticity of the video, the official handle of Karnataka DIPR tweeted, “Dr CR Jayanthi, director-cum-dean of the medical institution has stepped forward to clear the misconceptions, stating that the video is from AIIMS Patna and not Victoria Hospital.”
