MUMBAI: Bombay high court permitted a man in Pune to travel by road to Lanka in Assam to attend to the last rites of his father as his only son. His father expired on April 5 following a heart attack. Given the on-going Covid-19 lockdown, he had sent a letter addressed to the HC chief justice the same day for permission to fly down from Pune via Guwahati, even on any cargo flight.
The HC had tried to have an urgent hearing scheduled on April 6 said Justice A K Menon who passed the order after converting the letter into a petition. After various difficulties in getting the petitioner Binny Dholani to serve the state, Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and other authorities and to enable him to engage an advocate to conduct the matter on video conference facility, the HC heard in it on April 7.
Dholani’s lawyer Girish Menon sought directions for a flight to be arranged for his travel to Assam. The HC heard state government pleader PP Kakade and additional solicitor general Anil Singh for Centre and DGCA who said that there have been several other cases too of death in families either due to Covid-19 or other reasons “but in no case would passengers be permitted on flights’’ due to specific directions issued by the DGCA. Only specific flights mentioned in the DGCA’s March 23 order are permitted and Dholani’s request cannot be accommodated there said the ASG.
“No exception can be made in his case,’’ Singh informed the HC but added that authorities said they would permit him to travel by road if he desires. The Pune collector would be informed.
The man through his lawyer said that he would inform the Centre’s advocate before April 15 if he intends to travel alone or otherwise. He sought the time as he said his mother is also unwell and needs to be taken to the hospital for treatment.
The HC in its order said once he decides he should convey the route so that authorities are made aware of the entry and exit points to states through which he would pass.
The HC had tried to have an urgent hearing scheduled on April 6 said Justice A K Menon who passed the order after converting the letter into a petition. After various difficulties in getting the petitioner Binny Dholani to serve the state, Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and other authorities and to enable him to engage an advocate to conduct the matter on video conference facility, the HC heard in it on April 7.
Dholani’s lawyer Girish Menon sought directions for a flight to be arranged for his travel to Assam. The HC heard state government pleader PP Kakade and additional solicitor general Anil Singh for Centre and DGCA who said that there have been several other cases too of death in families either due to Covid-19 or other reasons “but in no case would passengers be permitted on flights’’ due to specific directions issued by the DGCA. Only specific flights mentioned in the DGCA’s March 23 order are permitted and Dholani’s request cannot be accommodated there said the ASG.
“No exception can be made in his case,’’ Singh informed the HC but added that authorities said they would permit him to travel by road if he desires. The Pune collector would be informed.
The man through his lawyer said that he would inform the Centre’s advocate before April 15 if he intends to travel alone or otherwise. He sought the time as he said his mother is also unwell and needs to be taken to the hospital for treatment.
The HC in its order said once he decides he should convey the route so that authorities are made aware of the entry and exit points to states through which he would pass.
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