Mumbai, Jun 2 (Mumbai Mirror): Aryan Vaid on Monday filed a complaint against a traffic police constable after a late-night row in which the actor claims the cop tried to force him to take a breathalyser test in a twice used kit tube.
The constable, Vaid alleges, brushed aside his hygiene concerns and request for a fresh tube, and verbally abused him. Vaid said that after a lengthy argument, he was given a new tube and the alcohol test was negative.
Vaid has released a video of the argument to the media.
Police officials defended the constable, Satish Mhatre, and said that a non-cognisable complaint had been registered against Vaid for obstructing a public servant. Mhatre is attached to the DN Nagar traffic police division.
Vaid's car was stopped by the traffic police at Juhu circle around 11.30 pm on Sunday. Mhatre and another constable asked the modelturned-actor to take a breathalyser test. Vaid said that two drivers had already blown air into the tube, so he requested for a fresh nozzle over hygiene concerns.
Motorists have in the past complained about the use of the same tube for multiple tests. Though the parts are disposable, cops usually wash and reuse them.
In the two-minute video recorded by Vaid, Mhatre says that he doesn't have a fresh tube. A heated argument ensues. Vaid says that he is not drunk and the constables at the spot say that if that is the case, he should simple take the test and leave. Vaid is finally provided a new tube.
Mhatre and Vaid filed complaints against each other at the Juhu police station. "A motorist driving under the influence is usually asked to pay the fine at the police station. In this case, Vaid was called to the police station because of the heated argument," an officer at the Juhu police station said.
Joint Police Commissioner (traffic) Milind Bharambe defended his men.
"There have been cases where the pipe, which costs Rs 4, was not changed. I have instructed all traffic divisions to use new pipes. But Vaid's case is different. He knew he was not driving under the influence and still got into an argument with the constable and used abusive language," Bharambe said.
"The constable told him that the pipe was clean, but Vaid did not listen and escalated the matter."
Bharambe added that the video circulated by Vaid showed only one side of the story.
Following the row, NCP legislator Rahul Narvekar wrote to the chief minister demanding guidelines on proper use of the breathalyser kit. "The menace of drink driving should be tackled, but at the same time, we should not ignore the issue of hygiene. Motorists are asked to use the same nozzle, which exposes them to health risks," he said. "Every motorist who is asked to take the test should be given a sealed nozzle."