Observing that every citizen of India is expected to cooperate with the front liners, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted bail to a man, accused of obstructing the work of doctors and policemen, who had been to his society for collecting data pertaining to Covid-19.
A single-judge bench of Justice Bharati Dangre has also ordered the man to pay Rs 10,000 to chief minister relief fund.
According to the Aurangabad Police, it had registered a case against the man for obstructing and assaulting public servants on duty. As per the FIR, the man obstructed the cops and the doctors, who were there to collect data in view of the pandemic. He was also accused of persuading the members of his society not to share any information and had also indulged in some heated arguments.
The police accordingly arrested him under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Disaster Management Act and other laws.
While referring to the FIR, Justice Dangre said that the act was "unfortunate."
"Perusal of the FIR which, in detail, narrates what transpired on the spot, does disclose that there was some obstruction on the part of the applicant to the government servants, who were present on the spot to collect the necessary data," Justice Dangre noted.
"Similarly, there were also certain allegations levelled by the applicant that the information is likely to be misused by the agency and he persuaded his society members not to share the information. However, the FIR does not disclose offence of assaulting public servants," the judge further noted.
Justice Dangre, accordingly, said that the man can be released on bail. "The applicant is directed to be released forthwith, however subject to a caveat. He behaved in an irresponsible manner and particularly at a time when every citizen of this country is expected to co-operate with those rendering useful services to prevent the spread of pandemic Covid-19," the bench observed.
"He is directed to deposit an amount of Rs.10,000 in the CM relief fund after his release, failure to which, this order would stand vacated," Justice Dangre added.
