The Karnataka High Court on Thursday asked the State government and the police to respond to allegations that sleuths of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) had illegally forced 28 bar and restaurants through oral instructions to close down their business for employing women.
Justice B. Veerappa issued the direction on a petition filed by Karntaka Hotels, Bar and Restaurants Owners’ and Working Women Welfare Association, and 27 bar and restaurants.
It has been alleged in the petition that the CCB sleuths visited the petitioner bar and restaurants on September 28 and orally instructed them to close down the business for employing women. Also, it has been contended in the petition that the CCB had threatened to conduct raids and file criminal cases against bar and restaurants who fail to comply.
The CCB and the city police have failed to respond to the legal notice issued by the petitioner-association asking the police to issue notices in writing, claims the petition while also pointing out that the livelihood of around 1,000 women and their family members is being affected due to illegal actions of the CCB.
A couple of bar and restaurants, which did not comply, were raided and criminal cases were registered against them based on ‘false evidences’, the petitioners alleged.
Pointing out that the Supreme Court had way back in 2008 held that women can be employed in joints serving liquor, and the High Court at regular intervals had issued directions to the law enforcing authorities not to interfere with the business of bar and restaurants that are lawfully employing women, the petitioners said that the police are harassing the petitioners on the flimsy ground that employing women would create law and order problems.
The petitioners claimed that the question of law and order problem does not arise as closed circuit television (CCTV) system has been installed in joints serving liquor, and live video feed is being provided to the jurisdictional police stations.