LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday arrested a man hailing from Jaunpur in the state from Chennai on the charges of spreading misinformation on Covid through videos on social media.
He was produced in Jaunpur court by the district police on Monday and was given in two days’ judicial custody. The police lodged the FIR against the person taking cognizance of the viral videos.
A UP police team had gone to Chennai to arrest the person booked on charges of releasing videos with alleged unscientific information to create panic among people during the second wave of Covid.
The accused, Manmohan Mishra, originally belonged to Jaunpur and had shifted to Chennai about 35 years ago.
Jaunpur SP Ajay Sahani on Monday said: “Accused Manmohan Mishra, 60, was arrested in Chennai n Saturday. After securing a transit remand, he was brought here and produced at a court. This man had made videos viral on social media with unscientific information and comments on the Covid-19 pandemic, increasing the possibility of creating panic among people.”
“Taking note of Mishra’s video clips on social media, the Kotwali cops had lodged an FIR against him under sections 505 (statements relating to public mischief) of IPC, IT Act, and Epidemic Act. After lodging a case about a week ago, police found his location in Chennai after which a police team was sent there to arrest him.”
Making false claims on Covid-19, Mishra had also made objectionable remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media, said Jaunpur police. During the police investigation, it came to light that Mishra of Jaunpur, who had moved to Chennai about 35 years ago and was currently living at Madhavaram in Chennai suburbs with his family, said the police sources.
Mishra worked as an agent to arrange PAN, Aadhaar, and other government Mishra documents for people, especially from north India in Chennai to earn a livelihood.