Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Finance Minister K. N. Balagopal has lodged a police complaint against a Facebook page for spreading what he termed as a fake hospital bill related to his recent medical treatment. The post claimed that the Minister incurred ₹1.91 lakh in medical expenses, allegedly at a private facility.
Dismissing the claim as false and malicious, Balagopal clarified that he underwent angioplasty at the Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, and not at a private hospital as suggested in the post.
“This is part of a deliberate misinformation campaign that has been going on for a year, orchestrated by the UDF and Sangh Parivar forces to malign me and mislead the public,” the Minister said. He added that the government hospital provided him world-class treatment without any personal expenses.
The complaint was filed with the cyber cell, and the Minister has urged authorities to take strict action against those spreading fake information online with the intent to damage reputations.
The Finance Minister’s response comes amid rising concerns over fake news and misinformation campaigns targeting political figures in the state. He reiterated the importance of fact-checking and responsible social media use, especially when it involves public officials and taxpayer-funded institutions.
