Delhi HC dismisses PIL seeking direction to identify officers who threatened liquor vendors
Sep 12, 2022
New Delhi [India], September 12 : The Delhi High Court has dismissed the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking direction to the Government of NCT Delhi to provide a list of 176 private liquor vendors who were allegedly harassed by officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The bench of Justice Satish Chander Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad in an order passed last week stated that "the present petition is nothing but sheer abuse of the process of law and therefore, the present petition is dismissed at the admission stage itself with costs of Rs.1,00,000 (Rupees One Lakh) to be paid to the Army War Widows Fund within a period of 30 days.
The Bench also said, if the amount is not paid within 30 days from today, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, New Delhi District will recover the amount as arrears of land revenue and shall transfer the same to the Army War Widows Fund with intimation to the Registrar General of this Court.
The Supreme Court in the aforesaid cases has shown concern about misuse of Public Interest Litigation and has also shown concern about a large number of Public Interest Litigations which have flooded the High Courts and the Hon'ble Supreme Court. It has been held by the Supreme Court that personal scores, personal disputes and political rivalries should not be resolved through PIL, said the bench.
The plea sought direction to identify those officers who were allegedly causing harassment to 176 private liquor vendors and thereby forcing them to close their shops and, thereby depriving them of livelihood guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The plea stated that the relief sought in this petition is to uphold the prestige of premier Central Agencies like CBI and ED that is being questioned and they have come under attack for being the cause of loss livelihood of 176 private liquor vendors.
The plea further stated that the recent allegation of money laundering of Rs 1,400 by ex-Chairman of Khadi and Village Industries Commission, during demonetization, has lowered the credibility of the prestigious Khadi and Village Industries Commission in the eyes of the general public. The present PIL seeks that the Delhi Govt /AAP MLA making allegations should either produce proof to substantiate their allegations or publicly apologise, plea read.
