Kanika Kapoor, Who Tested Positive for Coronavirus, Set off High-profile Chain Reaction from Lucknow to Delhi

Lucknow: Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor who tested positive for coronavirus and has been booked for alleged negligence for not following quarantine protocols is now at the isolation ward of Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Science here.

The alleged negligence on her did not just start in Lucknow, but in Mumbai itself where she landed on March 9 from London. After landing, Kapoor reportedly went to her house in Santa Cruz area and then a sound studio. After spending two days in Mumbai, she flew to Lucknow to meet her parents, where she went and also visited a salon.

On March 13, Kapoor visited Kanpur to meet her in-laws and attended a small get-together there. She also visited a flat belonging to one of her relatives at a multistorey apartment and another beauty parlour. Reports claim more than 20 people attended the get-together.

Kapoor then went back to Lucknow and attended several get-togethers and parties, the most talked about which was was hosted by former MP Akbar Ahmad Dumpy at his house in Dalibagh area that was attended by former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and her son, BJP MP Dushyant Singh. Other high-profile attendees included former Union Minister Jitin Prasad and his wife as well as UP Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh and his wife.

Dushyant Singh then returned to Delhi and attended the Parliament session, even meeting President Ram Nath Kovind at a breakfast organised at Rashtrapati Bhawan on March 18. Others at Kovind's breakfast included Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, MP Anupriya Patel and Union minister Smriti Irani. Dushyant Singh then attended a Parliamentary meeting on March 18, with the Railway Board chairman and officials of the Civil Aviation ministry and Tourism ministry.

Dushyant Singh also attended the budget session of the Parliament and sat near TMC MP Derek O’Brien, BJP MP Varun Gandhi and Congress leader Deepender Hooda. As soon as the news of his attending a party with Kapoor went viral, several MPs and ministers quarantined themselves.

Back in UP, Jai Pratap Singh attended a key cabinet meeting on March 17 chaired by CM Yogi Adityanath along with Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma. Adityanath then met PM Modi in Delhi.

The UP Health Minister went to Noida on Thursday and held a press conference along with MLA Pankaj Singh and others. Soon after the news of Kapoor being present in the same party with Singh went viral, Jai Pratap Singh and his family members went into quarantine, their blood samples tested negative on Saturday. The UP Health Minister has announced he will be completing mandatory 14-days isolation as per protocol.

An FIR was registered against Kapoor at Sarojini Nagar Police Station by CMO Lucknow on Friday for negligence and disobedience to the order issued by a public servant. An FIR was lodged at the Sarojini Nagar police station under IPC Sections 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) against Kanika Kapoor.

Two more FIRs are likely to be filed against her at the Hazratganj and Gomti Nagar police stations as she had visited at least three gatherings in the areas falling under their jurisdiction. The government in an advisory had asked travellers to undergo mandatory screening at all airports, which Kapoor allegedly skipped.

Lucknow District Magistrate Abhishek Prakash also ordered closure of Taj Mahal hotel in Lucknow till further orders. Though the official order gave no reason, sources said Kanika had attended a party at the hotel. According to Kanika's father Rajiv Kapoor, she attended a few parties between March 13 and 15. Nearly 300 people attended these parties.

source - news 18