Mumbai's Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) Police intervened in a luxury car rally held at the Jio World Drive mall, booking 43 individuals and seizing 41 high-end vehicles. The event was organized to commemorate Republic Day 2024.
The luxury cars arrived at the Jio World Drive Mall around 5:30 am on January 26 as they were supposed to take part in the car rally organized by the event management company. The cars were planned to travel from BKC to the newly opened Atal Setu Bridge. Followed by breakfast, they were supposed to return to the starting point. An officer mentioned that these cars had been participating in the car rally for the past 10 years at various locations during Independence Day and Republic Day. Despite the history of participation, the lack of necessary permission from authorities led to legal consequences for the owners.
Reports indicate that the rally, which attracted participants through social media invitations, contravened regulations limiting gatherings to five people until February 6. Consequently, organizers face legal repercussions under Section 188 of deliberate disobedience of lawful orders, alongside provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act 1951.
The majority of accused individuals, identified as businessmen, have also alleged police misconduct during the enforcement action. However, authorities clarified that seized cars will be released upon payment of fines in court, serving as a deterrent against future violations, according to One India, reports.
As per The Times of India reports, the BKC police station has seized prominent brands like BMW, Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Audi, Mercedes, McLaren, Jaguar, and others.
In a statement, Raghunath Kadam, senior inspector of BKC police station told The Indian Express, “We attended the call and asked the vehicle owners if permission was secured for such a rally. They told us they have not secured any permission. Hence, we registered a case against them under relevant sections for organizing a rally without permission.”