Dr Pranav Kabra: Not worried about fake news, our services at Raksha Hospital speak for themselves

MALAD, MUMBAI: Speaking to media persons at the Raksha Multispeciality Hospital at Charkop Naka in suburban Mumbai on Friday evening, Dr Pranav Kabra said he was not bothered or disturbed with the fake news and posts circulated on social media by some disgruntled individuals in the vicinity.

For the last two weeks, several one-sided, totally “fake news” articles written by non-existent bylines (reporters) and published on dubious or unknown websites, with no legal sanctity or authorization of any sort have been doing the rounds on social media and various WhatsApp groups in Malad, Borivali and even Vasai and Virar. The articles have been critical about the running of the hospital and have run fake news about the staff and damaged their reputation without any basis.

“This is an attempt to malign the hospital, which has been serving the people of Malad, Charkop, Malwani, Bhomi Park, Kandivali and other surrounding areas. Raksha Hospital is one of the first in the area to start operations and serve the people since the last 15-odd years. We have been doing selfless service and almost half of our patients are treated for free. In spite of this, the competition around us is growing and in the last 2-3 years, post the lockdown, some new hospitals and clinics have cropped up or are in the process of opening up. They are running malicious campaigns to disturb the residents and our patients. We have filed a written police complaint against some known and unknown persons for extortion, defamation, creating mischief and other sections of the Indian Penal Code and the IT Act,” said a spokesperson for the Raksha Hospital.

Dr Kabra who runs the hospital and is known for his charity and generosity among the poor patients of Malwani, Ganesh Nagar and Charkop says he is not at all bothered by the ‘fake news’

“In a game of cricket, there is one batsman, but 11 other players from the opposite team try to get him out. For me business is a like a game of cricket. There will be several other players trying to get me out. My patients come to me because of my personal rapport and contact with them. During the Covid pandemic, we treated thousands of patients free of cost or at greatly reduced fees. These are the people who come to me for treatment, along with their families. They have known me for the last 15 years and more. I am not worried about those running and circulating fake news,” Dr Kabra told this reporter.

Meanwhile, the Malwani police have begun investigating into the complaint submitted by the hospital against the fake news circulated on social media platforms. We are conducting a PE (preliminary enquiry) and after sanction from our seniors an FIR will be registered in the matter, said an official from Malwani police station.