Punjab Police lodge FIR against Simarjit Bains over false propaganda on COVID-19

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 7

The Punjab Police on Monday registered an FIR against LIP leader and MLA Simarjit Singh Bains for allegedly spreading false propaganda to mislead the people on the COVID-19 pandemic.

The FIR has been registered under Section 54 of Disaster Management Act, Epidemics Act, 2005, Section 3 of Epidemic Disease Act, 1897 and under Section 188, 505 IPC in Ludhiana, on the basis of a complaint by Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana, and the legal opinion sought on the issue by the Ludhiana police, according to a police spokesperson.

In his complaint to Ludhiana police, the Civil Surgeon Ludhiana had requested legal action against Simarjit Singh Bains, MLA from Atam Nagar constituency, Ludhiana, for misguiding people through a video clip regarding COVID-19. 

The Civil Surgeon said that this video clip is being played on various social media platforms, thus leading to the creation of an atmosphere of confusion among the public, regarding COVID-19.

Bains was also inciting people not to wear masks, said the complaint.

In his legal opinion, as sought by the Ludhiana police, district attorney Ludhiana noted that Simarjit Singh Bains is giving statements with regard to severity and magnitude of COVID-19 pandemic caused by novel coronavirus.

Bains is making the claim that coronavirus is a bogey created by the government to perpetuate their power by misleading people and asking them not to wear masks, the district attorney further opined.

The opinion given by the DA further mentioned that even though Simarjit Singh Bains is an elected MLA, who is representing a section of citizens of Ludhiana, he is misleading people by forbidding them to wear face masks, which have been made compulsory by the Central government to protect the health and safety of the citizens of the country.

Already so many lives have been lost due to the corona pandemic in the country as well as in Punjab, the DA pointed out in his report, concluding that Bains is thus willfully endangering the health and safety of the people living in the state by exhorting 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.

Even the WHO has advised wearing of face masks, he further noted.