A court in London has slapped steep fines on two men of Indian origin after they spat paan on public roads in the borough of Brent. Both were ordered to pay £1,391, roughly Rs 1.7 lakh each, by the North West London Magistrates' Court earlier this month, as per a report by Firstpost.
The report further stated that both the men didn’t appear for his hearing. Both were convicted in their absence, which contributed to the sharp rise in the penalty amount.
How small fines became large ones
Akshitkumar Bhadre Patel, 31, a resident of Edgware, was first caught spitting paan on a road in Kingsbury on June 11, 2025. Authorities issued him a fixed penalty notice of £100, approximately Rs 12,000. He chose not to pay and also stayed away from court. What began as a minor penalty grew into a £1,391 conviction.
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One day later, on June 12, 2025, Hitesh Patel, 32, from Ruislip, was caught in the same act on Wembley Hill Road. He took the same path: unpaid fine, absent from court. The North West London Magistrates' Court dealt him the same outcome: he has been told to pay £1,391 fine.
The bill for keeping Brent's streets clean runs to over £30,000 a year, roughly Rs 37 lakh, with paan stains being a major part of that expense.
London Mayor spends 30,000 in a day cleaning gutkha stains on streets. South Asian countries has become nothing but a laughing stock 😭 pic.twitter.com/6IO8mnvLiO
— 🚨Indian Gems (@IndianGems_) January 27, 2026
The report further said the enforcement officers now walk key stretches of Brent daily. Anyone found spitting paan receives a £100 notice on the spot. Authorities have been clear - an unpaid notice does not disappear. It finds its way to a courtroom.
Council takes message to communities
Brent Council has taken its message beyond patrol officers and courtrooms. Residents are being engaged directly. The council wants people to know that paan stains do not simply wash away on their own - someone pays for that. And for those caught spitting, the personal cost can run into lakhs, according to Firstpost.
