'The jasmine flower was not hidden in my bag, there is a 28-day period to pay'; Navya Nair clarifies what happened at Melbourne Airport

The incident of actress Navya Nair being fined Rs 1.5 lakh for carrying a 15 cm jasmine flower gajra in her bag was big news. The country's Department of Agriculture fined her 1980 Australian dollars at Melbourne Airport. Now, Navya Nair has clarified what really happened in the matter.

"I was really shocked. It was a big mistake. I didn't hide the jasmine flowers in my bag. It was on my head. But I forgot to declare the jasmine flowers. The sniffer dogs smelled it because I had kept the flowers in the bag at the beginning of the journey," Navya explained while talking to HT City from Singapore.

"There is a 28-day window to pay. There is a limited time to respond. As per the instructions of the airport authorities, all the information was emailed to the Australian Department of Agriculture that night. Now I am waiting for a response. I hope the fine will be waived," added Navya Nair.

The action against Navya is based on a law implemented by the Australian government. The Biosecurity Act, passed by the Australian Parliament in 2015, prohibits the importation of a number of items from other countries into Australia. What prompted Australia to strictly enforce such a law was the concern that plants and flowers from foreign countries could introduce microorganisms or diseases that could harm their environment.