Madhya Pradesh: BJYM leader fined Rs 10,000 for birthday bash but no case as he expresses ‘remorse’

However, the administration didn’t invoke legal action against Dwivedi under the Epidemic Diseases Act, saying he has “expressed remorse and assured of not repeating the act”.

Authorities swung into action after a video purportedly showed Dwivedi cutting the cake in the presence of his supporters who were seen without wearing masks. They celebrated Dwivedi’s birthday near the Hanuman temple at Kataye Ghat area in Katni on Saturday with fireworks in brazen violation of norms.

Kati city tehsildar Sandeep Shrivastava told PTI over the phone that the permission was not taken for the birthday bash.

“The fine recovered from Dwivedi has been transferred to Red Cross Society for a social good,” he said, adding that the action was taken against Dwivedi under section 144 of the CrPC.

Queried why a case was not registered against the BJYM leader under the charge of spreading dangerous diseases as per the law, Shrivastava said Dwivedi had accepted his mistake and expressed remorse.

“He assured us that he and his supporters won’t repeat the act,” the tehsildar said.

Katni reported one death due to coronavirus but no fresh case was reported on Sunday. The district reported 9,359 COVID-19 cases and 110 deaths so far, according to the district administration.