New Delhi (IL News Service): The Delhi High Court today threw out a petition which wanted directions for the SDMC and the Delhi Police to conduct an inspection and take action against illegally operated hookah bars. The plea asked for closure and sealing of those bars. The court observed that such petitioners are “champions of blackmailing.”
A division of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan, while hearing the matter through video conference, stated: “This time we are allowing for the withdrawal, but a message has to go.”
The counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that there is a mushrooming of hookah bars in south Delhi and there were blatant violation of laws.
The Chief Justice stated: “Are you a Super Government or a Super Police Commissioner? You do your work. There are a lot of errors in your work. We’ll impose a heavy cost on this.”
Justice Jalan added:
“What is his interest as a clerk? Has the client reached the counsels or the counsels reached him? For a court clerk to suddenly pick up such an issue… what is his history of working for such issues? What is his interest? How does this subject come up in his mind?”
The counsel for the petitioner stated that this has come as the hookah bars were operating even during the time of the pandemic. However, the counsel requested the bench for the withdrawal of the petition.
The bench has allowed the unconditional withdrawal of the petition and noted: “We were of the opinion to impose heavy cost on the petitioner, but are not doing so as it is the time of the pandemic.”
-India Legal Bureau