Ajay Devgn fined for smoking in public in Goa

Panaji (IANS)- Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn has been fined Rs.100 for smoking in the courtyard of a multiplex in Panaji, police said Wednesday.

"The notice will be issued today (Wednesday). We are acting on a complaint filed by the state health department (Directorate of Health Services, DHS)," Deputy Superintendent of Police Deu Benaulikar told IANS.

A police official said the complaint was filed by the DHS director Rajnanda Desai after the National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE), an anti-tobacoo watchdog NGO, submitted photographs to her office showing the Mumbai-based actor smoking at the INOX multiplex premises.

The multiplex hosted the set of forthcoming film "Golmaal 3", starring the actor, in May this year.

"The complaint was filed with the Crime Branch by the health department. Later it was forwarded to us for action. We verified the photograph and only then decided to issue the fine notice to the actor," the police official said.

This is the second instance when the brooding actor, who has starred in superhit films like "Omkara" and "Gangajal", has been fined for smoking in public. Devgn was earlier fined in January this year for smoking in a public place in Chandigarh.