Singer Kanika Kapoor booked by Lucknow police over Covid-19

The UP police have booked singer Kanika Kapoor for negligence and committing acts that are likely to spread disease dangerous to life after she attended at least three gatherings in Lucknow, including a party where political leaders were present, and tested positive for the new coronavirus, an official said. The FIR was registered at Sarojini Nagar police station on Friday based on a complaint filed by the Lucknow chief medical officer, said Police Commissioner Surjit Pandey.

Pandey said Kapoor has been charged under IPC Sections 269 (negligent acts likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (malignant acts likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).

Kapoor is said to have visited at least three gatherings in different areas of Lucknow.

She has become the first Bollywood celebrity to test positive for the deadly virus in the country and has said she is under complete quarantine and medical care.

In a statement on Instagram, the 41-year-old ‘Baby Doll’ singer said she developed signs of flu in the last five days.

On Friday, former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje said she and her son BJP MP Dushyant Singh have gone into self-quarantine after attending the party where Kapoor was present.

Singh is a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, which

held its last meeting on March 18, where senior aviation ministry officials were also present.

The aviation ministry has said its officials, who came in close proximity with Singh on March 18 in Parliament, have gone for self-quarantine as a precautionary measure.

P S Kharola, the civil aviation secretary, had attended the meeting and has gone for self-quarantine. Air India Chairman and Managing Director Rajiv Bansal, who too was present in the meeting, has also gone for self-isolation, sources said.

“Officers of the Ministry of Civil Aviation who attended the Parliamentary Standing Committee meeting on March 18 and came in close proximity with referred Honourable Member of Parliament have gone into self-quarantine from Friday evening as a precautionary measure,” the ministry tweeted Friday night.

Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh has also taken a test for coronavirus as he was at the Lucknow party attended by Kapoor.