Simarjit Bains among eight people booked for rumour-mongering
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police have registered FIRs against eight persons, including Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) MLA Simarjit Singh Bains, for spreading rumours related to Covid-19 pandemic.
Bains was booked on Monday under Section 54 of the Disaster Management Act, Epidemics Act, Section 3 of the Epidemic Disease Act and Sections 188 and 505 of the IPC in Ludhiana. Bains is MLA from Atam Nagar constituency and he has been booked on the basis of a complaint by civil surgeon, Ludhiana, after a legal opinion sought by the police.
Ludhiana civil surgeon had requested legal action against Bains for misguiding people through a video clip regarding Covid-19 and inciting people not to wear masks. The Ludhiana district attorney noted that Bains was wilfully endangering the health and safety of the people and provoking them to violate the directions, norms and guidelines laid down by the central and the state governments under the Disaster Management Act, Epidemics Act, etc.
During a Covid-related review virtual meeting chaired by Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, director general of police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said eight FIRs have been registered over the past 10 days against those spreading rumours and circulating misinformation, hampering the fight against coronavirus. The FIRs were registered FIRs in Patiala, Ferozepur, Mansa, Mohali, Ludhiana (Rural), Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Moga.
54 booked for organising parties
The DGP said criminal cases have also been registered in Ludhiana and Phagwara (Kapurthala) against people holding parties despite the government’s prohibitory orders against gatherings.
So far, 54 persons, including the owner of Moon Walk Resort, have been arrested for holding a pool party in Ludhiana and 17 persons have been arrested in Phagwara, including the owner of Basant Restaurant, he said.