Malayalam actor fined ₹1L for carrying jasmine 'gajra' at airport!
What's the story
Malayalam actor Navya Nair recently faced a hefty fine of over ₹1 lakh at Melbourne Airport in Australia. The penalty was imposed for carrying a 15cm-long jasmine gajra, which is prohibited under Australia's strict biosecurity laws. The actor was in Australia to attend Onam celebrations organized by the Malayali Association of Victoria when she was stopped by airport officials. The traditional flower garland, which is part of many Indian festivities, forced Nair to pay a big price.
Incident details
What Nair said about the incident
Nair narrated the incident at a public event, saying that her father had bought the jasmine gajra for her before she left. He had split it into two parts - one to wear on her Kochi-Singapore flight and another to keep in her handbag for later. "What I did was against the law. It was a mistake I made unknowingly," she said.
Regulatory details
Nair was told to pay the fine within 28 days
Nair was fined AUD 1,980 (approximately ₹1.14L) for carrying the jasmine flowers, which are considered undeclared plant material under Australia's biosecurity laws. The actor was told to pay the fine within 28 days. Australia has some of the strictest biosecurity laws in the world to prevent pests and diseases from entering the country.
Actor's response
Nair took the incident in good spirits
Despite the hefty fine, Nair took the incident in good spirits. She shared a video of herself dressed for the Onam event with the gajra on Instagram. Nair is a celebrated Malayalam actor who made her debut with Ishtam (2001) and quickly rose to fame with films like Mazhathullikkilukkam and Kunjikkoonan.