Malayalam actress Navya Nair on Rs 1.14 lakh fine for Jasmine Gajra at Melbourne airport: ‘I have 28 days to respond’

Recently, Malayalam actress Navya Nair made headlines after being fined around AUD 1,980 (about Rs 1.14 lakh) at Melbourne International Airport for carrying a jasmine gajra. The reports claimed that Navya was fined as she failed to declare the gajra on her arrival at Australian customs.

During an interview, Navya spoke about the incident and the steps she would take to get the fine cancelled.

Navya Nair was shocked by the hefty fine

Speaking to HT City from Singapore, Navya said she was surprised by the fine. “It was in my hair, not hidden in my bag, but I missed declaring it. They mentioned that parts of plants and flowers are included. The sniffer dogs sniffed it because I had kept the flowers in my bag at the beginning of my travel,” she explained.

28 days to pay: Navya reaches out for a waiver

Navya revealed that she has 28 days to make the payment, giving her a limited window to respond. Following the instructions of airport authorities, she emailed all relevant details to the Australian agricultural department the very same night. “I mailed them the same night and am now waiting for a reply,” she said, emphasizing her hope that the fine might be waived.

Confusion over the penalty

“I have asked them to waive off the amount, and if they don’t waive off, then I have read in many articles that they charge 300 dollars, and they charged AUD 1980, and it is written 6 units, so I don’t know what it is.

As a foreigner, I had no idea,” Navya added, highlighting her bewilderment at the unusually high penalty.

Regret and perspective

Navya expressed regret that the incident became so widely reported. She acknowledged that it is the law of the country and that she must comply. “On humanitarian grounds, the officers could have simply taken the flowers and kept them with them. They could have let me go without any fine, as I didn’t have any intention,” she said. She also revealed that the process delayed her exit from the airport before she could attend the Onam celebrations hosted by the Malayali Association of Victoria.