Gaurav Taneja arrest: What punishment will Flying Beast get if convicted? What are the charges against Gaurav Taneja?

YouTuber Gaurav Taneja was arrested on Saturday in Noida for violating a ban on large gatherings. He was released on bail hours after his arrest. Gaurav Taneja aka Flying Beast had planned birthday celebrations in Noida Metro's coaches that he had booked in advance. His wife Ritu Rathee Taneja, who has 1.6 million followers on Instagram, had written that she would meet them at 1.30 pm for his birthday celebration. She wrote on Instagram stories that though entry in Noida Metro was restricted, she would meet all Gaurav Taneja fans. Later she wrote that the Flying Beast's birthday celebration was cancelled. However, thousands of Gaurav Taneja's followers reached the Noida Section 51 metro station, threatening public safety and law-and-order situation. The Noida Sector 49 police soon rushed to the spot and handled the fast spiralling situation. 

Who is Gaurav Taneja?

Gaurav Taneja is one of the most popular Youtubers of the country with millions of followers. He runs three channels -- Flying Beast, Fit Muscle TV and Rasbhari Ke Papa. He was a commercial pilot and would put vlogs linked to his experiences as a pilot. He quit flying planes in 2020 after a spat with his employers. Since then he has been uploading lifestyle content on his channel. He is also an accomplished body builder. He shares his body building experiences on Fit Muscle TV. On the third channel, he uploads content related to her daughter and family. He is an IIT Kharagpur graduate. He is currently studying law at Delhi University. 

Gaurav Taneja was arrested for violating the Section 144 which prohibits assembly of more than four people.The Noida police had imposed the section in view of the upcoming festivals and exams.

An NMRC employee told Hindustan Times that they had asked Taneja's manager to inform the police about the party. They had booked four coaches with the permission of 200 people.

The police said they were not informed.

Gaurav Taneja was also booked under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).

If the violation of the prohibitory order is minor, a person is booked under Section 188. A person can be arrested and let off on bail. They can be imprisoned for not more than a month if convicted. 

In serious violations, the offender is booked under section 144. They can be jailed for six months if convicted. Hence, Gaurav Taneja is facing a six-month jail sentence or fine or both.

Both these offences are cognizable. This means offenders can get bail without a court's intervention.