Image credit: Zee News
cVeteran Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan tweeted on July 11 that he has tested positive for COVID-19. He was admitted in the isolation unit at Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital, Mumbai. His son, actor Abhishek Bachchan was admitted the next day.
T 3590 -I have tested CoviD positive .. shifted to Hospital .. hospital informing authorities .. family and staff undergone tests , results awaited ..
— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) July 11, 2020
All that have been in close proximity to me in the last 10 days are requested to please get themselves tested !
Earlier today both my father and I tested positive for COVID 19. Both of us having mild symptoms have been admitted to hospital. We have informed all the required authorities and our family and staff are all being tested. I request all to stay calm and not panic. Thank you. 🙏🏽
— Abhishek Bachchan (@juniorbachchan) July 11, 2020
Amid this, a string of misinformation started doing the rounds.
A two-minute video is being shared with the claim that it shows Amitabh Bachchan thanking the staff of Nanavati Hospital. Social media users further claim that it is a recent video.
Lokmat, a local news portal based in Maharashtra shared the viral video on their YouTube channel.
Hindi news channel, Aaj Tak too shared the 2-minute clip.
The video clip was picked up by other media outlets:
Amitabh Bachchan released a video message thanking Doctors and Heath staff. Currently He is undergoing treatment for COVID in Mumbai's Nanavati Hospital pic.twitter.com/iWhEq7XYJH
— Mojo Story (@themojo_in) July 12, 2020
अमिताभ बच्चन को कोरोना वायरस,नानावटी अस्पताल के बाहर पुलिस ने बढ़ाई सुरक्षा #AmitabhBachchan #AmitabhBachchanCorona https://t.co/FDeB1Dx8Lc
— Oneindia Hindi (@oneindiaHindi) July 12, 2020
Further, a WhatsApp forward is doing the round which says that 'Bachchan is the Investor and Board member of Radiant Group' which owns Nanavati Hospital'
The message also claims that Bachchan could have easily stayed in 'Home quarantine' due to the facilities available in his home.
Below is the viral WhatsApp Forward:
Claim:
(1) Amitabh Bachchan is on the Board of Director of Radiant Life Care Private Limited
(2) Amitabh Bachchan is asymptomatic
(3) Amitabh Bachchan in a video praised Nanavati hospital
The claims are false.
Claim 1: Amitabh Bachchan is on the Board of Director of Radiant Life Care Private Limited
Amitabh Bachchan is not on the Board of Director of Radiant Life Care Private Limited.
The official website which clearly mentions the board member of the organization does not have Bachchan's name listed.
Below is a list of the entire leadership team of the company:
Name | Designation |
Abhay Soi | Chairman and Managing Director |
Dilip Bidani | Group Chief Financial Officer |
Pritipal Singh | Director - Infrastructure |
Prachi Singh | Company Secretary & Head - Legal & Secretarial |
Dr. Sanjay Mehta | Unit Head & Vice President |
Sandeep Verma | Head - Finance & Accounts |
Amit Kumar | GM – Sales & Marketing |
Parul Chhabra | AGM (Head)- Corporate Communications and Marketing |
Manpreet Sohal | Director and Chief Operating Officer |
Dr. Deepak Patkar | Director Medical Services, Head, Department of Imaging |
Deepak Samant
| Chief Financial Officer |
Prashant Pikle
| Vice President: Materials & Supply Chain Management |
Further, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) website which regulates corporate affairs in India through the Companies Act, 1956, 2013 and other allied Acts, Bills and Rules clearly shows that Bachchan is not a director with the Radiant Life Care Private Limited.
Below is a screenshot from the website:
What is the Director Identification Number (DIN)?
It is a unique Identification Number allotted to an individual who is an existing director of a company or intends to be appointed as the director of a company pursuant to section 266A & 266B of the Companies Act, 1956 (as amended vide Act No 23 of 2006).
Claim 2: Amitabh Bachchan is asymptomatic.
The messages also claim that Amitabh Bachchan is asymptomatic and therefore should have stayed at home.
According to sources, at the Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital, Bachchan continues to show Mild symptoms and is admitted in the isolation ward.
The 'Revised guidelines for Home Isolation of very mild/pre-symptomatic/asymptomatic COVID-19 case' issued on July 2 by the Health Ministry says that 'Elderly patients aged more than 60 years and those with co-morbid conditions such as Hypertension, Diabetes, Heart disease, Chronic lung/liver/ kidney disease, Cerebro-vascular disease etc shall only be allowed home isolation after proper evaluation by the treating medical officer.
Sources have said that Bachchan has been hospitalised under medical advice.
Claim 3: Amitabh Bachchan in a video praised Nanavati hospital
The two-minute video clip that has gone viral does not show Bachchan praising Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital staff and it dates back to April and has no connection to his recent hospitalisation there.
.@SrBachchan inspiring message to all the doctors and nurses who are working tirelessly and fearlessly to save lives#Covid_19 pic.twitter.com/hQzXX2vt3q
— Faridoon Shahryar (@iFaridoon) April 23, 2020
In fact, Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital clarified on Twitter that on April 2020 Amitabh Bachchan had donated PPE kits when Nanavati Hospital had created a dedicated COVID-19 facility. In light of that Bachchan had sent a message of encouragement to the team at the hospital.
— Nanavati Hospital (@Nanavati_H) July 12, 2020
Latest Update
On July 14, hospital sources said that Amitabh Bachchan and his son, actor Abhishek Bachchan, are "responding well" to the treatment.
"Both are stable and are responding well to the treatment. They will have to be in the hospital for at least seven days," the hospital insider told PTI.
Bachchan's daughter-in-law, actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, 46, and eight-year-old granddaughter Aaradhya Bachchan had also tested positive for COVID-19. They are "self-quarantining at home".
Aishwarya and Aaradhya have also tested COVID-19 positive. They will be self quarantining at home. The BMC has been updated of their situation and are doing the needful.The rest of the family including my Mother have tested negative. Thank you all for your wishes and prayers 🙏🏽
— Abhishek Bachchan (@juniorbachchan) July 12, 2020
If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at factcheck@thelogicalindian.com or WhatsApp at 6364000343
Also Read : Fact Check: WhatsApp Forward Says Pondicherry University Student Found A Home Remedy Cure For COVID-19
Aditi, part of the fact checking team of The Logical Indian likes to read, write, cook and laugh, in short live life as it is supposed to be. What makes her fascinated is to discover the truth behind a story and more often than not, it is either fact or myth at the end.
As the founding editor, Bharat had been heading the newsroom during the formation years of the organization and worked towards editorial policies, conceptualizing and designing campaign strategies and collaborations. He believes that through the use of digital media, one could engage the millennial's in rational conversations about pertinent social issues, provoking them to think and bring a behavioral change accordingly.
" An engineer by profession, Abhishek is the creative producer of the team, graphic designing is his passion and travelling his get away. In more ways than one, he makes the content visually appealing."
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