Ludhiana resident held for ‘disparaging’ remarks against govt hospital

Chandigarh, September 8

A resident of Ludhiana was arrested on Tuesday for alleged offensive remarks against a government hospital in Patiala by referring to it as the “centre for human organ trafficking”, police said.

Mandeep Singh, a resident of Jattpura village in Ludhiana, was booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Disaster Management Act, they said.

According to police, Mandeep had uploaded a post on Facebook last month in which he made disparaging remarks against government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala.

He referred to the hospital as being the “centre for human organ trafficking” and also levelled baseless allegations against it, a police spokesperson said.

The accused told police that he uploaded the post after his uncle died of COVID-19 recently.

A mobile phone, which was used to upload the post, has been confiscated and is being forensically examined, the spokesperson said.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday had directed the Director General of Police to crack down on all rumour mongers and web channels spreading misinformation among people about the pandemic.

In a separate case, the Jalandhar police have registered an FIR against 10 persons, including a son of an assistant sub-inspector, for holding a birthday party at a restaurant during night curfew restrictions.

The owner of the restaurant, located at Adampur in Jalandhar, was also booked, police said.

Police conducted a raid at the restaurant on the intervening night of September 6 and 7 and found eight to 10 persons holding a party, the spokesperson said.

Two persons were arrested while others, including one Karamvir Kaily who had thrown the party, managed to escape, he said, adding the restaurant has been sealed. PTI

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