Pan masala company lands in legal soup

A leading pan masala company is in trouble for issuing a “contemptuous” advertisement inviting applications for the post of its Legal Head last year, reports Harish V Nair.

A leading pan masala company is in trouble for issuing a “contemptuous” advertisement inviting applications for the post of its Legal Head last year. The Delhi High Court has slapped a fine of Rs one lakh on the company, Rajnigandha Pan Masala.

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The eligibility criteria for the post prescribed by the company was LLB, LLM or a retired judge with “contacts” in judiciary.

Taking serious objections to the company seeking a retired judge with “contacts” in judiciary, a lawyer Sunita Tiwari brought it to the attention of the court through a petition

She alleged the advertisement is malicious and clearly amounts to lowering the dignity and honour of the judicial officers. “This further creates doubt in the mind of the general public with regard to the integrity of the judicial officers,” she contended.

Directing D.S. Group, the manufacturer of Rajnigandha Pan Masala, to pay the amount in four weeks, a Division Bench of justices Mukul Mudgal and Manmohan said the money would be deposited in the name of Bachpan Bachao Andolan, an NGO working for the rights of child labour.

The company had not only advertised in leading dailies but also on its website, Tiwari said adding the industrial house failed to act with caution and care while placing such advertisement in the newspaper as well as on the internet.