The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Thursday issued a notice to a Kannada news channel 'Public TV' for broadcasting a news item which claimed that the government is going to "drop money from helicopters in every town".
The news item "Helicopter Money - Helicopter nalli surithara Modi" was broadcast on Wednesday at 8:30 PM.
According to the notice, the channel aired the news item, which was "false, mischievous and deliberate" and "clearly violate" the Broadcasting Code and Rules.
"When the whole country is fighting COVID-19, your channel, instead of creating awareness and educating the public, spreading false information, creating panic and social unrest," I&B Additional Director General M Nagendra Swamy said in the notice to Public TV Chairman and Managing Director H R Ranganath.
"In view of the serious violation of Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and rules framed there under, you are hereby directed to show cause why your channel should not be taken out of air immediately," the notice said.
The channel has been given ten days to reply to the notice.
The Press Information Bureau's Fact Check twitter handle also tweeted tagging a TV grab, "Claim: Government is going to drop money from helicopters in every town. PIB FactCheck: Government is going to do no such thing."
During demonetisation, the channel had run a news report and discussion on the new Rs 2,000 having nano-chips, which was also dismissed as fake news.