English news portal founder arrested in TN on charges of carrying "false" reports over COVID-19: Police

Coimbatore, Apr 24 () The founder of an English newsportal has been arrested here on charges of carrying "false"and "provocative" reports against the local administration andgovernment over COVID-19 relief works, police said on Friday.

Andrew Sam Rajapandian, who runs 'Simplicity' portal, wasarrested on Thursday on a complaint from a city corporationofficial and produced before a magistrate who remanded him tojudicial custody, they said.

Coimbatore CPI-M MP P R Natarajan condemned the arrest ofPandiarajan. Journalists associations of Coimbatore and Tirupur wereamong those who condemned the arrest, saying it was againstfreedom of the press.

Police said a cases was registered against the portal onWednesday under Indian Penal Code Sections 189 (Threat ofinjury to public servant) 505 (i) (statements conducing topublic mischief) and Sec.3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act onWednesday. Earlier, a journalist and a photographer of the portalwere questioned for over four hours in connection with thecase, police said.

According to the FIR, the portal had carried reports thatgovernment healthcare professionals and workers involved inthe fight against coronavirus were not given proper food andemployees under Public Distribution System were siphoning offthe relief fund meant for the poor. The portal was also posting these "totally false" reportsin various social media, including Twitter, WhatsApp andFacebook, against the government which was "struggling tofight" the coronavirus spread. These reports were "provocative" and can turn the workersagainst the government and upset the entire PDS activities, itadded. NVMVS VS