TN Police registers case against TV newsreader Varadharajen

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Police here on Tuesday registered a case against theatre personality and Tamil television newscaster S. Varadharajen for circulating a video saying there was lack of beds for Covid-19 patients in the state.

Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar had said on Monday action would taken against Varadharajen and others under the Epidemic Diseases Act for causing panic.

In a video on Sunday Varadharajen, popularly known as 'TV' Varadharajen, said he found it difficult to get his friend with breathing difficulties admitted to a hospital.

Refuting the newscaster's statement, Vijayabaskar said admitting a person to a hospital was the decision of a doctor and the willingness of the patient.

According to Vijayabaskar, Tamil Nadu has around 75,000 hospital beds to admit Covid-19 patients and in Chennai alone there are around 5,000 beds.

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) has booked cases against Varadharajan under the Epidemic Diseases Act and the Disaster Management Act on a complaint lodged by the Director of Preventive Medicine and Public Health.