Mumbai: The Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) police took action by seizing 41 high-end and sports cars and booking 43 individuals for violating unlawful assembly orders on Jan 26. The event took place at the Jio World Drive mall, where participants were awaiting the commencement of a rally from the mall to the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link and back.
The rally, organised by an event management company to celebrate Republic Day, breached prohibitory orders limiting gatherings to no more than five people until February 6. Despite this, the event was listed on the online ticketing portal BookMyShow and extensively publicised on social media.
Preemptive Police Intervention
The BKC police took preemptive action, reaching Jio World Drive before the scheduled start of the rally at 6 am. The rally, expected to include at least 100 cars, was halted by the police, who cited the violation of assembly restrictions.
The impounded cars included luxury models from Porsche, Mercedes, Ferrari, Audi, Lamborghini, Jaguar and BMW. Owners, primarily residents of Bandra, Khar and Andheri, as well as the rally organisers, were booked under Section 188 (deliberate disobedience of an order promulgated by a public servant) and relevant sections of the Maharashtra Police Act 1951.
Past Rally Participation Raises Concerns
The BKC police noted that many of the car owners had participated in similar rallies over the past decade during Independence Day and Republic Day. However, they were accused of neglecting to seek permission for the current event.
Car owners expressed frustration, alleging that the police acted high-handedly and failed to inform them about the prohibitory orders or the lack of permission. They emphasized their law-abiding backgrounds and questioned the police's approach.
The impounded cars remain parked at Jio World Drive, with police collaborating with traffic authorities to complete necessary processes, including computing fines for each case. Vehicles will be checked for unauthorised alterations and additional charges may be applied if violations are detected. Owners can however retrieve their cars after paying fines and complying with court proceedings.
