KOCHI: The state government on Tuesday informed the Kerala High Court that ‘Robin bus’ openly flouted the court’s interim order and operated service. The bus operators let passengers board the vehicle en route to Coimbatore. The government also sought an urgent hearing of the matter.
The court replied that it had read in newspapers that the Tamil Nadu transport department detained the bus, for alleged violation of permit while transporting 26 passengers from Pathanamthitta to Coimbatore. The court adjourned the hearing of the case after two weeks to enable the owner of the controversial bus to engage another lawyer.
The court was informed that advocate Dinesh Menon, who represented the owner of the bus, died on Monday. Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh issued the order on the petition filed by K Kishore, of Kozhikode, seeking to restrain the transport commissioner and regional transport officer, Pathanamthitta, from interdicting the bus having an All India tourist permit and imposing a penalty.