Gujarat: Minister’s son, his friends arrested for lockdown violations after argument with cop

SURAT: Police arrested three persons including Prakash Kanani, son of Kishore alias Kumar Kanani, minister of state for health, on Sunday for alleged violation of order issued under public notification. The offence was registered on Sunday following the controversy that started after audio and video of a woman lok rakshak police constable Sunita Yadav's argument with Kanani and his friends went viral.
Police arrested Kanani, 37, his friends Dushyant Godhani, 41, and Sanjay Kakadiya, 42 in Varachha police station. They were released on bail later. They were booked under various sections of Indian Penal Code including 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 114 (Abettor present when offence is committed). Police also booked the accused under Epidemic Disease Act as well.
"The minister's son and his two friends were arrested after registering the offence against them. The offence was registered based on the video that went viral in social media," said CK Patel, assistant commissioner of police, A division.
In the incident, on July 8, friends of Kanani were stopped by Yadav near Man Gadh cross road at around 10 pm when five persons were going in a car. Since it is curfew Yadav questioned them and in reply they informed that they were going for work as their relative is a Covid-19 patient and admitted in hospital. Since Yadav refused to allow them to go they called Kanani over the phone and asked him to come to help.
After Kanani arrived at the spot both the parties entered into argument audio and video of which went viral. Meanwhile, in the audio it is heard that the woman cop became angry and started shouting when someone said, 'make you stand at the same place for 365 days'. The woman later started abusing those present at the spot.
Earlier, minister Kumar Kanani alleged that the woman cop made only a portion of the entire recording viral. "She abused all those present several times. She should have taken legal actions against my son if he is wrong but police have no right to abuse people," Kumar Kanani, told TOI.