Madras HC orders Mansoor Ali Khan to pay ₹2 lakh fine for spreading COVID vaccine lies

The Madras High Court on Thursday ordered Kollywood actor Mansoor Ali Khan to pay a fine of Rs 2 lakh to the state government for spreading misinformation about COVID vaccines. Mansoor Ali Khan had been booked under non-bailable provisions earlier in April for allegedly spreading misinformation on the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Tamil Nadu and linking it to the death of actor Vivekh. Mansoor Ali Khan had targeted the civic authorities & the govt for allegedly 'killing people' after actor Vivekh's demise at the SIMS hospital and claimed that the late comedian had been alright before he was administered the COVID-19 vaccine.

Actor Mansoor Ali Khan booked

Mansoor Ali Khan, who had earlier withdrawn himself from contesting in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, had reportedly told media persons on Saturday that he had not contracted the virus despite sleeping on the streets and sharing food with beggars during his election campaign and deemed mandating the wearing of masks a 'foolish act' of the govt. The BJP had filed a complaint against actor Mansoor Ali Khan for spreading false information on the COVID-19 inoculation drive and for allegedly linking actor Vivekh's death to the vaccine, as per sources. Following BJP's complaint, the actor had also filed a bail application before a session court. The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) also lodged a plaint against Mansoor Ali Khan under the Public Health Act. 

Madras HC raps Election Commission

The Madras High Court pulled up the Election Commission of India (ECI) for not stopping political parties from conducting rallies even as COVID cases continued to surge and noted that the EC was singularly responsible for the second wave of the pandemic. Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee noted that it was distressing to remind constitutional authorities that public health was paramount and warned of stopping the counting of votes on May 2 if COVID protocols were not followed. Madras HC further directed the EC and Tamil Nadu's CEO to hold meetings with the state's health secretary in order to create a plan which will ensure that COVID protocols were followed and asked ECI to submit the blueprint before the Court on April 30. Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee opined that the ECI officials should be 'booked on murder charges probably' for allowing political rallies amid COVID-19.

"Were you on another planet when the election rallies were held?", Chief Justice of Madras High Court asked ECI.

"Public health is of paramount importance and it is distressing that constitutional authorities have to be reminded in such regard. It is only when a citizen survives that he'll be able to enjoy the rights that a democratic republic guarantees", Chief Justice told ECI.