Hours after the Santa Cruz police sent him an e-challan for riding a motorbike on Valentine's Day without a helmet, Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi suffered a double whammy on Saturday, as the neighbouring Juhu police registered an FIR against him under IPC and for violation of the provisions of the Maharashtra COVID -19 Precautionary Measures Act 2020, for not wearing the mask.
However, the actor sought to put up a brave face by seeking to turn his acute embarrassment into humour through a tweet where he regretted his faux pas and sang “Be safe, wear a helmet & a mask” tune. Vivek’s is a classic husband-wife romantic story turning sour. A video-post proudly shared by him on February 14 in which he is enjoying a ride with his wife Priyanka Alva Oberoi on his electric-blue Harley Davidson bike with a message: “What a start of this lovely Valentine’s Day, with Main, Meri Patni aur Woh! A refreshing joyride indeed!” landed him in trouble.
The actor would have gotten away with the crime but for the fact that social activist Binu Varghese took notice of the video and tweeted: “Actor Vivek Oberoi flouts traffic safety rules as well as health safety rules by riding a bike without helmet and not wearing a (face) mask. This sends a wrong message to the youth… hence he should be fined for the same”.
Varghese tagged along Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, Mumbai Police, BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation and others which led to the e-challan being issued to him under the Motor Vehicle Act by Assistant Police Inspector Nandkishor Jadhav of Mumbai Traffic Police Santacruz Division late on Friday evening. The actor was fined Rs 500 for not wearing a helmet while riding his Harley Davidson.
That was not all. The Juhu police on Saturday registered an FIR against the actor, who featured in the protagonist’s role in the 2019 biopic “PM Narendra Modi” for flouting public health safety rules framed under the Maharashtra COVID -19 Precautionary Measures 2020 Act which mandated all citizens to wear a face-mask as a precautionary measure to control the outbreak of COVID-19.
Vivek has been booked by the police under several sections of section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of IPC. The section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, provides penalties for disobeying any regulation or order made under the Act which can be invoked through section 188 of IPC.
The Juhu police have also invoked against Vivek the provisions of the Maharashtra COVID -19 Precautionary Measures 2020 Act, which make it mandatory for the citizens to wear masks, as a precautionary measure to control the outbreak of COVID-19.
Hours after he landed in an embarrassing situation, the actor sought to reduce the impact of the twin crimes by putting out a humorous tweet which read: “Pyaar humein kis mod pe le aaya! Nikle they nayi bike par hum aur hamari jaan, bina helmet ke kat gaya chalaan!Riding without a helmet?Mumbai police will do a checkmate!Thank u @mumbaipolice for making me realise that safety is always most important. Be safe,Wear a helmet & a mask.”