Urfi Javed in trouble over misleading arrest video; faces FIR for personation, defamation

PTI, Nov 4, 2023, 9:38 AM IST

Mumbai: The Mumbai police on Friday booked social media influencer and ‘Bigg Boss’ contestant Urfi Javed for maligning their image through a fake arrest video, an official said.

Javed, who is often in news for her fashion choices, and her associates staged a “raid” where a few people personated as police officials to take “action” against her for wearing skimpy outfits. A reel of the act, deemed defamatory by the police, went viral on social media.

“A viral video of a woman being allegedly arrested by Mumbai Police, in a case of obscenity is not true – insignia & uniform has been misused,” the police said on social media platform X after the ‘Urfi Javed arrested’ video went viral.

“One Can’t Violate Law Of The Land, For Cheap Publicity!”, said the post.

“A criminal case has been registered against those involved in the misleading video, at Oshiwara Pstn under sections 171, 419, 500, 34 IPC,” the police said.

“While further investigation is on, the fake inspector is under arrest & the vehicle has been seized too,” the police said.

Section 171 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) pertains to ‘wearing garb or carrying token used by public servant with fraudulent intent”, while section 419 deals with cheating by personation. IPC sections 500 and 34 deal with punishment for defamation and common intention, respectively.

In a statement, the police said the reel made for self-publicity became viral on social media and sent out an incorrect message about the department being against those wearing skimpy clothes.

Javed, two other women who posed as constables, and a male associate who posed as a police officer were booked under various sections of the IPC in the FIR (first information report), the statement said.

A notice under CrPC section 41A has been served to accused Ganpatbhai Sawajibhai Makwana, who played the role of a police officer in the video, an official of the Oshiwara police station said.

The section deals with appearance before police officer.