MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court quashed an FIR filed against youth who couldn't obtain a passport due to the case against him for violating Covid-19 curfew.
Allowing a petition filed by the youth -- V Karthikraja of Madurai -- to quash the FIR, Justice G Ilangovan observed that unintended causal act of riding in a two-wheeler during the pandemic should not be a reason for spoiling the youth's future.
"Police should have just warned the petitioner to go indoors. Instead of that, they filed a case," the judge opined. Moreover, the petitioner was not affected by Covid-19 during the relevant point of time the judge pointed out. The prosecution's contention that riding a two-wheeler during the pandemic will spread the disease, has no basis, he added.
Further citing that the State government would drop all such cases registered against the public for lockdown violations, the judge quashed the FIR.
Karthickraja was booked by Keelavalavu police of Madurai on April 22, 2020, for allegedly roaming in his two-wheeler despite pandemic restrictions without any proper reason. Now that he has completed his graduation and was taking steps to go abroad for his livelihood, the FIR became a stumbling block for his plans as the passport authority issued a clarification notice on his application last month regarding the pendency of the above FIR. The notice prompted him to approach the court seeking to quash the FIR.