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NCP office inauguration: 6 party leaders in Pune booked for flouting Covid rules
Apparently, hours before the party office inauguration, deputy chief minister had reprimanded a press reporter for asking about social distancing norms at the gathering.
Prashant Jagtap, city head of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was among the six office-bearers and 100-150 party workers who were booked for flouting Covid rules during the inauguration of the new party office in Shivajinagar on Saturday.
The others booked in the case included party youth leader Mahesh Hande, Pradeep Deshmukh, Nilesh Nikam and Rohan Paygude, Balasaheb Bodake, according to a statement issued by Shivajinagar police station that suo moto filed a case under Sections 188, 269, 270 of Indian Penal Code, Section 51(b) of National Disaster Management Act, and Section 11 of Maharashtra Covid19 Regulation.
Hande had applied for permission at Shivajingaar police station to hold the inauguration of the new party office, according to the police. The application mentioned that the people in attendance at the event will strictly follow Covid norms.
“As per Hande’s application, permission was granted on the condition of following noise pollution and other relevant rules. He was also served with a Section 149 CrPC warning notice. On June 19 at 5pm, the office was inaugurated at Palashri Apartment, Loksahir Annabhau Sathe Chowk, Dengle bridge, Shivajinagar. But instead of 100-150 people, which was mentioned verbally by Hande (and not in writing), over 400-500 people were present in the event. The officials were not maintaining social distance and some were not wearing masks,” reads a statement from Shivajinagar police station.
“They had only sought permission for sound pollution level and loudspeaker from the police station. They had never applied for, in written or otherwise, permission to hold a public gathering. We had granted permission for loudspeakers and not gathering,” said Neelima Pawar, senior inspector, Shivajinagar police station.
Apparently, hours before the party office inauguration, deputy chief minister had reprimanded a press reporter for asking about social distancing norms at the gathering.
Pawar had said, “At the end of each programme, it clearly mentions that all meetings of deputy chief minister, in the light of Covid, all government mandated rules should be followed. Simple words, not orders, but it is a request. Whether to honour the request or not is a personal choice. I do not hold any big functions. I attend, cut a cake, and leave. I don’t address a rally or anything. Should I not go?”
He pointed out that some reporters present at the press briefing were not following social distancing.
“Are you maintaining required physical distancing with the person next to you? If I say something, you will print out of context. What to do? I have to keep quiet,” he said at the press meet.
