Cleaning Paan Stains : Spitting Paan On London Street Costs Two Indian-Origin Men £2,800 In Fines
London : Two Indian-origin men have been hit with hefty fines of 1,391 pounds each by authorities in the London borough of Brent for spitting paan juice in public, reported the UK-based local news outlet, Harrow Online. The city council has launched a campaign against paan-spitting that officials say is defacing public spaces and straining civic resources.
The penalties were imposed after both men failed to pay initial on-the-spot fines of 100 pounds, prompting legal action that significantly increased the financial consequences. The case is a part of what officials call the borough’s “zero-tolerance” policy towards what it describes a persistent and costly nuisance. The Brent City Council spent 30,000 pounds a year on cleaning paan stains, according to reports.
Akshitkumar Bhadre Patel, a resident of the town of Edgware, was fined by the North West London Magistrates’ Court for spitting paan on Kingsbury Road near a local metro station in June 2025. Patel did not attend his court hearing and the case was decided in his absence, His faliure to settle the original fine resulted in the penalty escalating more than tenfold.
Hitesh Patel, a resident of the suburb of Ruislip, was also fined 1,391 pounds for spitting paan on Wembley Hill Road. Like the first case, he too failed to appear before the court, resulting in a conviction in absentia, and a steep increase in the fine. The enforcement drive comes amid growing concern over paan-spitting across parts of north-west London, including Brent and neighbouring Harrow, where the issue has drawn widespread attention.
Brent Council spends more than 30,000 pounds a year cleaning paan stains from pavements and buildings, reported the BBC. The city has adopted a “zero-tolerance approach,” including banners in hotspots, patrols by enforcement officers, and fixed penalty notices up to £100 for those caught spitting paan. Harrow Online reported Councillor Krupa Sheth, Cabinet Member for Public Realm and Enforcement, has reiteriating the council’s tough stance, saying the administration is determined to hold offenders accountable.’