Lockdown: Chhattisgarh Congress MLA booked for ration distribution

A Congress MLA was booked on Sunday in Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh for violation of lockdown norms in place for the novel coronavirus outbreak after he announced distribution of free ration and a crowd assembled outside his house, police said.

MLA Shailesh Pandey was booked under sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the IPC, a Civil Lines police station official said.

He has not been arrested, the official added.

Pandey, meanwhile, said he was helping poor people affected by the lockdown for the past few days and was ensuring social distancing norms were being followed.

"However, when I spotted a huge crowd outside my official residence for collecting ration today, I immediately called up the police," he claimed.