COVID-19: Beware! Hiding travel history can land you in jail for 2 years

March 27: Concealing travel history by anyone in India will invite imprisonment for a period of two years. The Indian government has made it clear that when the nation is fighting coronavirus tooth and nail, the Indians should have to compulsorily reveal their recent travel history to the district administration or else they will have to be booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

In one such incident, a 63-year old woman from Kangra in Himachal Pradesh failed to disclose her travel history following her return from Dubai and was later tested positive for COVID-19. She was later booked under Scetion 270 of the IPC, which carries a maximum imprisonment of upto two years. As per reports, the woman was forcefully quarantined after district authorities learnt about her symptoms.

Around half a dozen of cases in Himachal Pradesh was registered this week for failure to report to the health surveillance authorities after returning from abroad. Section 270 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) applies to those cases where a person malignantly does any act which is likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life.