Pune: Lawyer Lodges Complaint Against Policemen Penalizing People Without Wearing Masks Themselves
Pune, September 13, 2020: A city-based lawyer Aashutosh Srivastava, who practices in the Supreme Court of India and High Courts in various states, has complained to the top brass of Pune City Police against police personnel who are themselves without a mask and penalising people for the same offence. The lawyer had encountered an incident following which he wrote to the Commissioner of Police and other senior officials, “Cops are putting the lives of people at stake and sheerly violating public safety norms during the COVID19 pandemic in the country”.
“On September 11, I was on my way to my office when I was stopped at Mohammadwadi Chowk, near HDFC Bank, around 11.30 am by policeman Anil Koli of Kondhwa police station. Koli and his team member Amit Badhe stopped my car for the reason to check if I was wearing a mask inside my closed AC car which had its windows rolled up completely in packed condition and the said officer was not at all wearing any mask while doing so and they were standing at public places and stopping cars in the middle of the road. It is impossible to comprehend the non-applicability of mind by these officials who think it right to levy fines for what they believe is an offence i.e. not to wear a mask and the general public are suffering because of these irrational and thoughtless acts of theirs who can contract the infection of COVID 19 while being checked by such police officer/s”, Srivastava complained to senior officers on the same day.
Srivastava told Punekar News, “I wanted to bring this to the attention of senior officials about the grave abuse of power and authority by some cops attached to Kondhwa Police Station, Pune City who are committing irresponsible, reckless and negligent acts and are blatantly risking the lives and safety of the public at large due to their deliberate disregard of the norms and rules laid down by the Government of India and the Maharashtra State Government whereby it is obligatory and compulsory for every individual to wear a mask and take other safety precautions at public places in this current pandemic situation.”
He said that if action is not taken against the two policemen he will approach the appropriate authorities/court including the Bombay High Court in the interest of the safety and health of the public at large.
When contacted, police officials said that they have been asked to always wear a mask/face shield whenever they are taking action against people for not wearing a mask. Joint Commissioner of Police Ravindra Shisve has issued a written order in this regard. Pune Police has penalised about 33,000 people and collected Rs 1.65 crore fine from them.
