It’s been a heavy day for content creators and influencers in India. After Elvish Yadav was accused of hosting illegal raves and supplying snake venom, we saw a video of Uorfi Javed being taken by the police for her apparently inappropriate fashion sense doing the rounds on the internet yesterday, November 3. The fashion influencer was approached by two women dressed in police uniforms outside a Starbucks cafe in Mumbai. In the video, we see the two women police officers asking Uorfi to accompany them.

When asked the reason, one of them says, “Itne chote chote kapde kaun pehenke kaun ghumta hai?” Uorfi was wearing a red backless top with a pair of denims. The officials asked her to accompany them to the police station and took her in a van with the label “police” written behind it. Uorfi Javed is known for her bold fashion sense and often makes fashion statements taking the most bizarre everyday items. She has made headlines for various reasons on account of her ‘out-there’ dressing.

However, this is not the first time, a complaint has been filed against Uorfi for her fashion choices. She was issued a warning by the Bandra Police Station last month as well. These arrest videos from yesterday stirred up a debate on the internet regarding the authenticity of this incident, with many thinking it was a prank. Was it a gimmick or a genuine arrest? Social media was abuzz, some came out in support of Uorfi while some hailed the police for taking the right action.

Also Read: Know The Latest Happenings With Bigg Boss Fame Elvish Yadav

The Reality

These super random happenings around influencers are becoming like the old ‘is it a cake or not‘ meme. We can’t tell what is real and what’s a mere publicity stunt. Uorfi finally broke the silence on the entire ordeal and clarified that it was a fake arrest in relation to a promotional campaign with the fashion brand Freakins. She posted an Instagram story saying “Arrested by the fashion police 😅😅”

uorfi javed freakins fake arrest mumbai police freakins collab

Uorfi x Freakins

Right after the story, Freakins and Uorfi posted about their collaboration. In the video, Uorfi is seen donning an array of her signature extravagant looks created with Frekins outfits inside a jail setting. And the video ends with “Freakin’ Uorfication.” The caption of the post further explains that Uorfi is launching her own collection with the fashion brand. “Arrested by the fashion police for my fierce fashion game, but nothing can stop me! Excited to announce FREAKIN’ UORFICATION my collection launch with @Freakinsindia. Get ready for some sizzling styles! #FreakinUorfication” she said in the post.

Publicity Stunt Gone Wrong

Uorfi and Freakins may have thought that they pulled off the coolest prank but when their publicity stunt reached the Mumbai Police, they were in for trouble. Mumbai’s Oshiwara Police registered a case against Uorfi and the others involved for the misleading ‘fake arrest’ video. That clip had rapidly spread on social media, stirring public belief and bringing undue criticism upon the Mumbai Police. The disguised police officer’s dialogue questioning Javed’s choice of clothing was designed to mimic an official police inquiry, leading viewers to question the force’s stance on public decency.

Police Takes Action

Mumbai Police promptly addressed the falsity of the video via social media, clarifying that the individuals involved were not their representatives and that the insignia and uniform had been illicitly appropriated. They took to their X (formerly Twitter) handle to share a stern statement disallowing such cheap publicity stunts. It further stated, “However, a criminal case has been registered against those involved in the misleading video, at Oshiwara Pstn under sections 171, 419, 500, 34 IPC. While further investigation is on, the fake inspector is under arrest & the vehicle has been seized too.”

Mumbai Police, while taking to Instagram stories and other social media platforms, has emphasised the falseness of the video, assuring the public of their commitment to uphold the law without succumbing to sensationalism. “We have filed an FIR under sections 171 (wearing a garb or carrying a token used by a public servant with fraudulent intent), 419 (cheating by imprisonment), 500 (defamation), and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code,” said Mohan Patil, senior inspector of Oshiwara police station. 4 others along with Uorfi have been booked by them. She is yet to come record her statement.

This is clearly a case of a prank gone terribly wrong. How far can a public figure go to gain clout and attention? Impersonating government officials in the name of publicity and promotion is definitely not giving out the right message and is all the more shifting focus from the actual brand collaboration.