Dhaka was also accused of assaulting police officers.
In a reckless pursuit of social media fame, 25-year-old influencer Pradeep Dhaka has landed himself in legal trouble.
He was arrested for parking his car on a busy road to film a reel. Pradeep also set a police barricade on fire.
Pradeep Dhaka resides in Nangloi, Delhi.
He has over 850,000 followers on Instagram.
He describes himself as a producer, financier, and real estate trader.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Jimmy Chiram, Dhaka was charged with causing damage to public property and obstructing the performance of official duties.
A fine of Rs. 36,000 (£340) has been imposed on him for violating traffic rules and regulations.
Additionally, his vehicle has been seized under various sections of the Motor Vehicles Act.
The incident came to light when the police received reports of severe traffic violations involving a modified gold-coloured car.
A video showed the car parked on a flyover in Delhi’s Paschim Vihar during rush hour.
Dhaka stood in front of the vehicle while a queue of stationary cars were forced to wait behind his parked car.
He was also seen driving the car with the door open.
Another video surfaced on social media, showing Dhaka setting a police barricade on fire.
Prompt action was taken by the Outer District police, who identified Dhaka through his social media profiles tagged in the reels.
Despite resistance during his arrest, Dhaka was apprehended at his residence.
His SUV was confiscated at the Paschim Vihar East Police Station.
In addition to the traffic violations, Dhaka was also accused of assaulting police officers.
Furthermore, Dhaka’s family members were also booked for preventing public servants from carrying out their duties as they resisted the police officers who attempted to arrest him.
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— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) March 30, 2024
DCP Chiram emphasised the importance of content creators adhering to traffic rules and obtaining proper permissions before filming such videos.
The authorities posted: “Delhi Police took strict action under the Motor Vehicles Act against the accused who violated various traffic provisions for making reels, issued a challan, seized the vehicle, and registered a case under IPC sections for misbehaviour and assault on policemen and arrested him.
“He violated traffic rules and damaged government property.”
“We request all content creators to follow traffic rules and obtain proper permission before shooting such videos.”
In addition to the charges related to traffic violations and arson, the police found fake plastic weapons in Dhaka’s vehicle.
The case has been registered at Nihal Vihar Police Station.