Actress Navya Nair has approached Australian agriculture authorities seeking a waiver of the AUD 1,980 (around ₹1.14 lakh) fine she received at Melbourne International Airport for carrying a 15-centimetre jasmine gajra without declaration.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Navya said she had reached out to the the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry immediately after receiving the notice.The actor explained that she had 28 days to pay the fine and was advised to provide full details in an email to the department. She sent the mail the same night and is now awaiting a response. Nair said she asked for the fine to be waived, noting her confusion over the charge. While she had read that similar penalties often amounted to around 300 dollars, the notice specified AUD 1,980 for six units, a calculation she did not understand. As a foreign visitor, she said she was unaware of the rules regarding the gajra.

Unintentional violation

The fine came as a surprise to Navya, who had travelled to Australia for Onam celebrations organised by the Malayali Association of Victoria. She was unaware that carrying jasmine into the country was prohibited. The jasmine, purchased by her father, was divided into two portions — one for immediate use and another for the onward journey from Singapore. The violation was unintentional, and she emphasised that she did not knowingly break the law.

Sharing the experience at a public event, Navya laughed about the fine, noting that she had effectively arrived in Australia with jasmine valued at over ₹1 lakh.