Bengaluru: Actor Darshan booked for not wearing mask during by-poll campaign

Bengaluru: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Sunday booked a case against actor Darshan for flouting Covid-19 rules while campaigning for BJP candidate Muniratna in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency on Friday.

According to District Electoral Officer and BBMP commissioner N. Manjunatha Prasad, "a case has been registered under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 against the actor and other violators. Videos and photographs captured by our officials during the actors' campaign along with BJP candidate Muniratna, have been produced. Subsequently, we have booked a case against Darshan based on the reports received by our officials."

Darshan was seen campaigning for Muniratna in RR Nagar along with BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel, Revenue Minister R. Ashok and Agriculture Minister B.C. Patil, Labor Minister Shivaram Hebbar, CM political secretary S.R. Vishwanath. Sandalwood actress Amulya and producer Rockline Venkatesh also joined Darshan to campaign for Muniratna on Friday.

Darshan and others gathered closely and they did not even wear face masks in violation of Covid norms. The EC's guidelines for holding a physical rally mandate social distancing of at least two metres between the participants and wearing of masks.

According to the reports, the civic body has registered a total of 15 cases in the past two days for campaigners not following social distancing and other Covid-related protocols. The report claims that if the accused were found guilty, they could face a jail term of up to one year.