FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2024
Team Herald
panjim: The High Court of Bombay at Goa refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought restraining powers of the CISF and Goa Police, who have been strictly enforcing lockdown orders in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shukr Usgaonkar, a 22-year-old law student pointed out to lathi-charge on the defiant individuals. He also alleged that a spate of “indiscriminate arrests have also been made for violation of curfew orders, many of whom have been fined.”
The petitioner termed the situation wherein violators are made to crawl on the roads, do sit-ups and beaten with lathis as “high handedness.” “It is in flagrant disobedience of the directions of the judiciary and sheer contravention of the law, without inquiring about the reason and the genuineness of the reason for violating the curfew orders is tantamount to a patent misuse and abuse of power and is a gross violation of human rights…” he added.
Usgaonkar sought court’s intervention to refrain arrests being made without inquiry from the person outdoors as well as to issue directions to the CISF and police to refrain from police excesses failing which disciplinary proceedings should be initiated.
The bench, however, refused to accept the petition even as AG Devidas Pangam defended the importance of enforcing lockdown norms on the people, unless during an emergency situation. The court observed that efforts of the law and enforcing agencies have to be appreciated. Moreover, no individual has come to the fore complaining about the police action. In such a situation, the court refused to intervene in the matter, prompting the petitioner to withdraw the PIL.
