BENGALURU: An unusual petition came up before the High Court on Thursday. A former rowdy sheeter wanted the court to allow flowers to be showered from a helicopter on his newly-built house. Reason: The cops had denied him permission while he had printed the details in his invite and he would be the butt of ridicule if the flower shower didn’t happen. Moreover, he claimed that his neighbour, also an ex-rowdy sheeter, had got permission for a similar spectacle during his housewarming ceremony.
But the court was not amused. “Why all this?” asked Justice A S Bopanna. “What is the need for providing such details in the invitation? You are competing with your neighbour... Is this competition or you are claiming violation of equality?”
The judge told the complainant M Muniraju that he has to show legal obligations to seek directions to the police. Muniraju, in his petition, claimed, “The operation of helicopter for one-and-a-half hours won’t affect law and order.”
The judge observed that a businessman, on his daughter’s advice, spent money meant for her wedding to build 90 houses for the homeless while in contrast a former minister (read G Janardhana Reddy) splurged on his daughter’s wedding invitation.
The government advocate said that Muniraju, whose name was struck off the rowdy sheet last year, had issues far graver than flowery ones. That the Varthur site on which Muniraju’s house was built is under dispute and that he had to seek ‘no objection certificate’ from the civil aviation ministry for the chopper and forward it to police commissioner.
Justice Bopanna issued notice to the city police commissioner and police officials before adjourning the hearing to Monday.
Muniraju had approached Deccan Charters Ltd in December for the event to be held on February 9 in Mullur village of Varthur Hobli in Bengaluru East Taluk. But Deccan Charters asked him to seek police permission first.