Lockdown: Pune man convicted within 48 hours by the court for riding bike, not wearing mask
Pune, April 13, 2020: The Pune Cantonment court today convicted a 31-year-old man for riding bike unnecessarily during the lockdown in Camp. He was also found without a mask. As per lockdown rule, only essential services vehicles are allowed and wearing mask has been made mandatory.
Police have appealed people to stay at home as social distancing is helping in preventing the spread of Coronavirus which has claimed the lives of 32 people in Pune and affected about 300 till now.
The FIR investigation was fast-tracked as Lashkar police station under Pune city police filed a chargesheet against the accused person within two days. Based on a complaint from Head constable Ganpat Thikole, an FIR was registered against Mahesh Shantaram Dhumal of Nana Peth, on Saturday. He is a welder.
According to police, he was found driving a two-wheeler on East Street in Camp. He did not have any pass from the police which means he was roaming around unnecessarily. Police charged him for offences under sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Indian Penal Code and other relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act.
Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, police have banned vehicle movement and made it mandatory for people to wear a mask when they are outside home. The Pune Cantonment court found the accused man guilty and sentenced him to pay fine of Rs 1,000. Police officials said that this conviction will prove detrimental in future if he wants police clearance certificate as this case will reflect on his character.
Senior Police Inspector Chandrakant Bhosale, in-charge of Lashkar police station, Police Inspector (crime) Arun Hajare supervised the investigation team which included Assistant Police Inspector Manmit Raut, head constable Thikole, Police Naik Kadukar, and constables Bhosale, Huwale, Hole and Pathan.
