Mumbai: Mumbai Police registered over 97 new cases against people and booked them under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for violation of prohibitory orders and unlawful assembly on Friday, taking the total number to 888 from March 20. Until Friday, police had booked 1,692 people for the offence, of whom 1,332 were arrested and released on bail, 246 were let off with notices and 114 are yet to be arrested, said Mumbai Police public relations officer and deputy commissioner of police (operations), Pranaya Ashok. All the accused were prosecuted under Section 188 for disobedience of orders.
The state government had issued prohibitory orders on March 14, to curb the spread of coronavirus. With these orders, the state had imposed a ban on unlawful assembly, as they shut down bars, pubs, discotheques and gyms in the city. All private establishments and companies not a part of essential services, were asked to remain shut after Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared a country-wide lockdown for 21 days on March 24.
The offenders were booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including disobedience to order, duly promulgated by public servant (188) and section 115 of the Bombay Police Act, for spitting in public. Police have also penalised drivers of 269 vehicles, which were being plied during the lockdown, the official said.
Special squads have been put in place to closely monitor activities of people who are home-quarantined, to ensure they do not leave their homes and thereby put the lives of others at risk.
