Mudigere BJP MLA seeks action against cops who fined him Rs 250 despite wearing mask

PTI, Dec 25, 2020, 11:52 AM IST

Mudigere: Ruling BJP MLA M P Kumaraswamy on Thursday complained to Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai accusing some police personnel of unnecessarily imposing a fine of Rs 250 on him despite wearing a mask and sought action against them.

In a letter to Bommai, the Mudigere MLA said, he was on his way to the MLA quarters in a rented car and when it stopped near Sheshadripuram police station here due to traffic he was forced to roll down the window panes by the personnel who imposed Rs 250 fine despite him wearing a mask.

Stating that the incident took place at 12:30 pm today, the legislator said he felt embarrassed and being a responsible person paid the fine without arguing.

“I’m hereby seeking action on police personnel who unnecessarily imposed fine on me,” Kumaraswamy said in the letter.

The state government has fixed the fine amount at Rs 250 in urban areas and Rs 100 in rural areas for not wearing a face mask in public, aimed at containing Covid-19 spread.

The fine amount was initially fixed at Rs 1,000 in urban areas and Rs 500 in rural areas.

Marshalls in Bengaluru and other designated enforcement officials including police have been penalising citizens who don’t wear masks in public.