Chikkamagaluru police have filed a case against Mohammed Monu, president, Mangaluru Taluk Panchayat, Dakshina Kannada, for using his official vehicle to drop a five-year-old boy from Mangaluru to the boy’s parents’ house in Banakal, near Moodigere in Chikkamagaluru district, on April 14 violating the lockdown.
The driver, Hanif alias Mohammed, and two others have also been booked in this connection at Banakal police station on Thursday. The vehicle was seized on Friday.
Meanwhile, R. Selvamani, Chief Executive Officer, Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat, has served a show cause notice to the Executive Officer of Mangaluru Taluk Panchayat in this connection. In the notice served on Friday, the CEO has asked the officer to explain how an official vehicle was allowed for the personal use and take it outside Dakshina Kannada without permission.
A Chikkamgaluru police release said that the sports utility vehicle (KA 19 G 0986) with Mr. Monu and three others from Mangaluru did not stop at Kottigehara checkpost in Chikkamagaluru district when asked to stop. The vehicle was driven to Banakal. Its driver did not stop at the same checkpost (Kottigehara) while returning to Mangaluru from Banakal.
Accusing them of overlooking the lockdown norms and holding the four indirectly responsible for likelihood of spreading COVID-19, the police seized the vehicle.
Mr. Monu told The Hindu on Saturday that the boy had accompanied his grandmother to the latter's house in Adyar on the outskirts of Mangaluru a month ago. “The boy was missing his parents and was getting restless with every passing day. When relatives approached me I assured them of dropping the boy on April 14 as the first phase of lockdown was supposed to end,” he said adding that he travelled with the boy, the boy’s relative and a friend in the morning.
Initially the boy’s parents had said that they would come to the Charmadi checkpost in Dakshina Kannada to pick up the child. “As they did not come we proceeded further to Chikkamagaluru district and handed over the child at Banakal.”
Mr. Monu denied that the vehicle did not stop at Kottigehara checkpost. “Police had checked and allowed it to proceed to Banakal,” he maintained.
Mr. Selvamani told The Hindu that he has sought details of the vehicle log book, its driver and its allotment. “Further action will be taken based on the reply,” he said.
