HC allows Pune man to travel by road to Assam for father’s last rites

With the entire nation under lockdown and travel restrictions being imposed for both domestic and international travel, the news of the death of his father in Assam

With the entire nation under lockdown and travel restrictions being imposed for both domestic and international travel, the news of the death of his father in Assam came as a bolt from the blue for Pune resident Binny Dholani. On April 5, Dholani’s father had died of a heart attack in Assam.

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Being the only son, Dholani wanted to travel to Assam immediately to carry out the last rites but with restrictions on outstation trains and flights due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Binny had no way to go to Assam.

He decided to write to the chief justice of the Bombay high court seeking directions to the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA), district collector, Pune, ministry of aviation (MCA) and ministry of road transport and highways to allow his passage on any flight going to Guwahati from Pune.

On Tuesday, the bench of justice A K Menon took up the letter for hearing through video conferencing. While hearing the application of Binny Dholani through advocate Girish Menon, the bench was informed that the letter would be converted into a writ petition after the lockdown period concluded but due to the urgency, directions should be issued to the authorities to let Dholani travel to Assam by flight.

Singh, however, submitted that if Dholani wanted to travel by road, instructions could be issued to the Pune collectorate to facilitate the same.

Dholani, however, said that he would convey his decision to the authorities after consulting his family as his mother was also ailing and had to be taken to the hospital for treatment.

After hearing the submissions, justice Menon directed that the letter be converted into a petition after the lockdown concluded and also directed the Union to grant the required permissions if Dholani decided to undertake the journey by road.