March 22: Police have arrested a person for spreading fake news about coronavirus.

The Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police on Saturday arrested Bibek Thapa Magar of Ramechhap district from Sipadol in Bhaktapur for his involvement in producing a misleading audio clip regarding COVID-19 and sharing it on social media.

The arrested person talks about the outbreak of coronavirus and death toll in Nepal in the one-minute audio clip that has become viral on social media. In the clip, the 20-year-old Magar says he received the information from a staffer at Norvic International Hospital but the hospital has refuted the allegation.

The hospital said in a press statement that it was surprised by the groundless rumor that eight patients of the hospital were infected with COVID-19. The hospital clarified that none of its patients have been infected with the virus.

 Police investigation has revealed that Thapa was running an unregistered news website, jhorle news.com.

The cyber bureau of the police is reportedly investigating Magar under charge of public offense.

 Meanwhile, the police administration has urged the people not to believe in any unauthorised news and information and to follow the government's authorised update on coronavirus.