Karnataka MLA Fined for No Helmet—Then Praises Cop Who Challaned Him

Karnataka Congress MLA Prakash Koliwad was fined for riding a motorcycle without a helmet, a move he later praised. A similar incident involved UP BJP MLA Shalabh Mani Tripathi, who was also fined for the same traffic violation, admitted his error, and paid the penalty.

Karnataka Congress MLA Prakash Koliwad was fined on August 25 for riding a motorcycle without wearing a helmet. Later, the MLA praised the police officer's decision to impose the punishment on social media, a move that received a lot of attention online. After the traffic violation, the Haveri Superintendent of Police handed a warning to Koliwad, who represents Ranebennur. He later paid the fine.

Koliwad recognised his own error and commended the officer for performing duties after paying the fee. In addition, he expressed regret for not wearing a helmet while riding and advised everyone to abide by traffic laws.

Similar Incident Reported

Earlier this year, a similar incident occurred in Uttar Pradesh, where BJP MLA Shalabh Mani Tripathi gained notoriety after being spotted riding a motorbike in Deoria without a helmet. The fact that the lawmaker personally admitted the infraction, asked for police action, and paid the ensuing punishment made the situation unique.

The incident happened on May 17 and was made public after a video of Tripathi riding a Bullet motorbike appeared on social media. The Deoria Sadar MLA was observed travelling with three other motorcyclists, followed by a black SUV. The footage, reportedly recorded near Tripathi’s residence in the Mehdapurwa area, quickly attracted attention over the apparent traffic violation.

Later, Tripathi responded to the situation on social media, stating that he had consented to ride the motorbike after being requested to 'inaugurate' a recently acquired bike by a party employee. He paid a punishment of Rs 1,000 after acknowledging that it was an error to ride without a helmet.

Tripathi later admitted that he should not have ridden without a helmet, acknowledging that the act amounted to a traffic violation. He said he had agreed to the request despite knowing the rules.