False: Jailed poet Varavara Rao, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, has been denied treatment for COVID-19.

Poet Varavara Rao tested positive for coronavirus on July 16, 2020. He has been admitted to the neurology department at Mumbai JJ Hospital. The 81-year-old poet and writer Varavara Rao, an accused in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon case, tested positive for coronavirus on July 16, 2020. This was confirmed by Dr. Ranjit Mankeshwar, dean of JJ hospital in Mumbai. Rao has been lodged in Navi Mumbai's Taloja jail under judicial custody. He was admitted to the neurology department of the hospital after he complained of giddiness. He has been keeping unwell for a while. According to Rao's wife Hemalatha and daughters Sahaja, Anala, and Pavana, Mr. Rao seemed delirious and sounded incoherent when they called him on July 11. He talked about his parents' funeral that took place decades ago. Vernon Gonsalves, 61, co-accused in the Bhima-Koregaon case and takes care of Mr. Rao inside the prison, said the poet was not able to walk, go to the toilet and brush his teeth on his own and that he needed immediate medical care. Opposition leaders, writers, and activists started calling for the release of Mr. Rao. They urged the government to provide requisite medical care since news started coming in about his deteriorating health in prison. The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19 including symptoms, prevention and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority.