New Delhi, Jul 27 (PTI) The Fact Check Unit (FCU) of the Press Information Bureau has busted 1,276 cases of fake news since its inception in November 2019, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said on Thursday.

In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, Thakur said the FCU takes cognisance of fake news related to the central government both suo-motu and by way of queries sent by citizens on its portal or through e-mail and social media.

Also Read | Excise Policy Scam: Delhi Court Dismisses Vijay Nair's Default Bail Plea in Money Laundering Case.

He said the FCU also responds to relevant queries with correct and updated information related to the policies, schemes, guidelines and initiatives of the Government of India.

A total of 1,276 instances of fake news were busted by the FCU, the minister said.

Also Read | Delhi Shocker: Woman Shot Dead Over Dispute in Dwarka, Suspect Identified.

In 2019, the FCU busted 19 instances of fake news, followed by 394 in 2020, 285 (2021), 338 (2022) and 240 till July 17, 2023, Thakur said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)