An FIR has been filed against the president of regional political party in western Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) for spreading misinformation. The FIR has been filed against Promod Boro, the chief of United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), for “spreading false information” on the disease by Suleman Narzary, a resident of Rupathi Nagar in Kokrajhar town.
The FIR has been lodged in at the Kokrajhar police station under Section 505(1) of Indian Penal Code, 1860 which talks about the punishment for making, publishing or circulating any statement, rumour or report which may cause fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public.
Suleman Narzary said that during an interview on April 5, 2029 Promod claimed that there were more than 30,000 people infected with COVID-19 but the official data stood to only 4200 on April 6, 2020.
Mr. Narzary said that “We are facing a very bad time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Central and the State governments urged the people not to make any faulty statement on COVID-19. Here, we have the president of UPPL who is disseminating false information,”
While explaining himself, Mr. Boro said that “It was a slip of tongue on my part when the TV interviewer sought my views during the 9-minute blackout, I had observed in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call. The figure at that time was above 3,000 but I said 30,000. I realised the faux pas only after the interview was aired”
