Rajesh Tope on Arbaaz Khan, Sohail Khan flouting COVID-19 norms: 'Nobody is above law'

A day after Mumbai Police lodged an FIR against Bollywood actors Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan for allegedly violating the COVID-19 institutional quarantine norms, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Tuesday said nobody is above law and everyone should follow the protocols.

Talking to reporters, Tope said it is the duty of an "ideal citizen" to strictly follow rules and regulations in the current pandemic situation. The police on Monday registered a case against Arbaaz Khan, his brother Sohail Khan and the latter's son Nirvaan Khan for allegedly violating the COVID-19 institutional quarantine norms, officials earlier said.

As per guidelines, the three were asked to stay at a hotel in suburban Bandra after they returned to Mumbai from the UAE last month, but they went to their homes instead, a civic official said. Asked whether the state health department would initiate or recommend any action against celebrities for violating the quarantine protocols, Tope said, "We will take measures against it."

He, however, did not specify any measures. Tope further said, "Nobody is above law. Every person should adhere to the protocols laid down by the government. It is the duty of an ideal citizen to strictly follow rules and regulations in the current pandemic situation."

The police have registered the case against the Khan trio under Indian Penal Code Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease), and provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act.

As per the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), passengers returning from counties in Europe and the Middle East must stay in institutional quarantine for seven days in view of the detection of the new strain of coronavirus in the UK.

In his statement submitted in Khar police station in Mumbai, Dr Sanjay Funde, a medical officer of H/West ward, said that he received information on Monday that Arbaaz, Sohail and Nirvaan had returned from Dubai but didn't go to institutional quarantine.

Dr Funde and Bandra police officials then reached Sohail Khan's residence on Nargis Dutt Road in Bandra.

They were told by Sohail Khan that he and Arbaaz Khan had returned from Dubai on December 25 while Nirvaan Khan flew back on December 30, a police official said quoting Dr Funde''s statement.

Sohail Khan also told BMC officials that they had booked rooms in a five-star hotel in Bandra for quarantine stay, but decided to go home after their tests at the Mumbai airport confirmed that they were not infected with coronavirus, the official said. 

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