High court hauls up police for inaction against Zenzi

Khar police got an earful from the Bombay High Court on Wednesday for failing to take action against Bandra restobar Zenzi for violating noise pollution norms.

Khar police got an earful from the Bombay High Court on Wednesday for failing to take action against Bandra restobar Zenzi for violating noise pollution norms.

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A division bench of Justice P.B. Majmudar and Justice R.G. Ketkar rapped the police for the lack of action. Justice Majmudar said: “You (police) need not wait for the court’s directives just because the petition is pending. The problem is that the police stop taking action after issuing show cause notices. It is time to put your house in order.”

Syed Arif, a resident of Mamta Building on Waterfield Road, which also houses Zenzi, had filed a petition in the HC seeking action against Zenzi. After going through affidavits filed by Khar police and the Excise department, the HC said although the police had issued show cause notice to Zenzi’s owners, they had not taken any action since May 2009.

“Why were you sleeping for nine months? We do not find any concrete action taken after the notice was issued. You will find out the truth if you make surprise visits, you need not wait for the court’s order for that,” Justice Majmudar said.

On the noise pollution claim, Additional Public Prosecutor DP Adsule told the court the police have been taking necessary action at regular intervals. For alleged violations of Excise rules, Adsule said those breaches were minor and did not need immediate action.

The HC has asked the police and the Excise department to produce all the necessary reports in one week.