Psychiatrist files PIL to open liquor shops, HC fines him

A psychiatrist had to pay the price for filing a PIL in the Karnataka High Court, seeking directions to the state to open wine shops during the lockdown period.

BENGALURU: A psychiatrist had to pay the price for filing a PIL in the Karnataka High Court, seeking directions to the state to open wine shops during the lockdown period.Hearing the petition through video conference on Tuesday, a division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice BV Nagarathna directed Dr Vinod G Kulkarni to donate Rs 10,000 to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

Kulkarni had filed a petition, seeking opening of liquor shops for at least a few hours, with a limited quantity of liquor on sale. He pointed out that at least 10 people have committed suicide due to non-availability of liquor.When the matter was taken up for hearing during a special sitting held through video conference, the bench posed a question to the petitioner: “Do you know how many are starving for food? Is liquor more important than food for survival?”

In reply, the petitioner said that he had filed the petition being a psychiatrist, and had found many people committing suicide because liquor was unavailable. The bench said that those addicted to liquor can be treated for their withdrawal symptoms at a clinic. Dr Kulkarni further said that liquor is available in US, to which the bench said that the US is not under lockdown like India. Instead of imposing costs since he withdrew the petition, the bench directed Kulkarni to donate Rs 10,000 to the CM’s Relief Fund.

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