Directive to commodities suppliers

Justice Raja Elango of the High Court at Hyderabad on Friday directed various suppliers of Essential commodities to appear before the concerned local police in Kurnool district on a daily basis while directing that will not be arrested pending further orders in a batch of writ pleas filed questioning the cancellation of their licences and filing of criminal cases against them by the police of AP. The petitioners are alleged to have colluded with personnel of the National Informatic Centre and committed fraud in the supply of essential commodities.

The large-scale enlisting of the licensees – almost over 140 of them is challenged on the ground that there is absolutely no application of mind as to whether or not each of the dealers was involved in the alleged offence. Vidyavathi, Government Pleader appearing for the government pointed out that it was indeed a large-scale scam involving the dealers in question who had made short supply of essential commodities through wrong computer entries.

The judge granted the government three weeks time to file a written counter and made sure that the petitioners are not arrested in the interregnum.