IMS and SUM Hospital files defamation case against OTV and 8 other persons

Bhubaneswar, Aug 13: The IMS and SUM Hospital today  filed a defamation case against the Odisha Television Limited (OTV) for allegedly propagating false, unauthenticated and malicious misinformation against the hospital.  The medical college has filed the case at the Khordha SDJM court against OTV, its six employees and two persons, who had purportedly entered into a telephonic conversation which had gone viral that tarnished the image of SUM Covid Hospital run by the medical college in collaboration with Odisha government. "As the accused persons intentionally and deliberately being connived with each other violated the Press Information Bureau's letter dated 22.4.2020 and Government of Odisha Regulation 2020 and involved themselves for lowering down the prestige and goodwill of the complainant, they are required to be prosecuted," said the petition filed by the IMS and SUM Hospital. On August 7, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) had lodged a complaint against the Odia news channel accusing it of spreading misinformation related to Covid-19.   In the audio clip, a person who was discharged from hospital after being successfully treated for Covid-19 claimed that funds given by the Union Government is being misappropriated by the BMC and the Covid hospitals. Besides, he accused the civic body of sending people who have not tested positive for coronavirus to Covid hospitals to fulfill its target.