Bhopal News: FIRs Against WhatsApp Admins Over Fuel Rumours
· Free Press Journal
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The district administration on Thursday announced strict action against the spread of misinformation regarding petrol and diesel shortages, warning that FIRs will be registered not only against those posting fake content but also against WhatsApp group admins who fail to curb such messages.
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In an official order, Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh said false rumours about fuel scarcity have triggered panic buying and overcrowding at petrol pumps, posing a risk to public order.
To address the situation, a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been implemented under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
Under the directive, group admins will be held accountable for allowing misleading or inflammatory posts. Legal action may be taken under Section 353 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant provisions of the IT Act. A joint team of the cyber cell and public relations department has been deployed for round-the-clock social media monitoring.
Daily bulletins on fuel status
As per the SOP, the District Public Relations Officer will release daily bulletins on fuel availability in coordination with oil marketing companies such as IOCL, BPCL and HPCL. A joint team of the cyber cell and public relations department will monitor social media platforms round-the-clock.
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A joint team comprising the Cyber Cell and the Public Relations Department (PRO), operating under the Police Commissioner, will maintain round-the-clock surveillance on social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The administration has also introduced a keyword alert system to track viral rumours using terms such as “petrol out of stock” and “strike”. Fake posts will be publicly debunked through official channels with a “FAKE” stamp.