Govt 'busts' 8 YouTube channels for spreading fake news
New Delhi (PTI): The government on Tuesday said it has "busted" eight YouTube channels, with a cumulative subscriber count of nearly 23 million, for spreading fake news such as declaration of early Lok Sabha polls and banning electronic voting machines.
Officials said videos on these YouTube channels - Yahan Sach Dekho, Capital TV, KPS News, Sarkari Vlog, Earn Tech India, SPN9 News, Educational Dost and World Best News -- were fact-checked by the Press Information Bureau for spreading false news.
World Best News, a Youtube channel with over 1.7 million subscribers and more than 18 crore views, was found to be misrepresenting the Indian Army, officials said.
They said the channel Educational Dost, with over 3.43 million subscribers and 23 crore views, was spreading false information about government schemes, while SPN9 news with over 4.8 million subscribers and 189 crore views was propagating fake news pertaining to the president, prime minister and several central ministers.
The channel Sarkari Vlog with over 4.5 million subscribers and over 9.4 crore views was found to be spreading fake news about government schemes, officials said.
They said Channel 'KPS News' which has over one million subscribers and over 13 crore views is spreading fake news regarding schemes, orders and decisions related to the government such as availability of cooking gas cylinders at Rs 20 and petrol at Rs 15 per litre.
The channel 'Capital TV' with over 3.5 million subscribers and over 160 crore views was also propagating fake news about the prime minister, the government and orders related to promulgation of President's rule in West Bengal.
YouTube channel 'Yahan Sach Dekho' with over 3 million subscribers and over 100 million views was peddling fake news about the Election Commission and the Chief Justice of India.
'Earn India Tech' with over 31,000 subscribers and 3.6 million views was found to be propagating fake news related to Aadhar card, PAN card and others.
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Police Inspector suspended for allowing politicos inside station during BJP MLC Ravi arrest
Bengaluru: Police Inspector of Khanapur station has been suspended for dereliction of duty by allegedly letting in political leaders and others inside the station while BJP MLC C T Ravi was in custody in connection with a case registered against him, officials said on Wednesday.
The suspension order was issued by the office of Inspector General of Police, North Zone, Belagavi on December 21, they said.
On December 19, Ravi was arrested by the police from the premises of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi for allegedly using a derogatory word against Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar in the legislative council hall.
According to the official order, when C T Ravi was taken to Khanapura police station for safety reasons, Police Inspector Manjunath Nayak, who was in-charge of the station, was told to use the staff and assign suitable duties to them.
It was also ordered to block the entry of any person other than the accused inside the police station. However, many political leaders and mediapersons stormed inside the police station. This created a noisy atmosphere inside the station, it stated.
The order further stated that as a responsible police inspector grade officer, Nayak failed to prevent several political leaders from entering Khanapur Police station, thus creating a tumultuous atmosphere.
He violated the order of superiors, showed negligence and carelessness while performing duty. Therefore, a departmental inquiry was initiated and Nayak was suspended from service with immediate effect for dereliction of duty, the order stated.
According to a police statement issued on Wednesday, after registration of case under section 75 (sexual harassment) and 79 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in Hirebagewadi police station here, Ravi was taken into custody and handed over to the investigating officers.
However, Ravi was shifted to Khanapura police station considering the security aspect and the huge crowd gathered near Hirebagewadi police station.
"A large number of mediapersons, supporters and party workers gathered and created a chaotic atmosphere in Khanapura police station. There was also the possibility of additional supporters and Congress workers arriving. All these factors also had the potential to disrupt public order," the police stated.
Keeping in mind Ravi's safety, he was shifted to Ramadurga, it said.
