Form squads to regulate clubs, spas: Police told
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered the Director General of Police (DGP) to constitute across the State special teams headed by superintendents of police and city commissioners to crack down on social organisations like recreation clubs, associations, and spas engaging in illegal activities.
Justice SM Subramaniam issued the orders on Friday while disposing of a petition filed by the Kancheepuram Reading Room and Tennis Club secretary K Karunakaran. The judge also directed the police to pass on information on any action, if taken against such organisations, to the jurisdictional officers of the Registration Department so they can initiate further action under the provisions of Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975, and other statutes.
The DGP should also direct his subordinate officers to work in coordination with related government departments to ensure effective implementation of the statutes for cracking down on offenders. Circulars and instructions should also be sent to subordinate authorities by the DGP within four weeks.
The petition sought orders to the police not to harass the club and its members to obtain FL2 license for permitting consumption of liquor on the premises. In another order, passed on a petition filed by CP Girija of Maruthasanjeevani Ayurverdic Therapy Centre on ECR in Villupuram, the judge told police to issue appropriate orders to all the spa and massage centres and therapy centres across the State to install CCTV cameras functional in all circumstances.
He said the police should take appropriate action as per the law in the event of any reasonable suspicion or information or any complaint on illegal activity. The petitioner had requested the court to order the police department not to interfere in the lawful functioning of the therapy centre.
Disposing of the petition, the judge said law enforcement authorities are duty-bound to carry out inspections to curb illegal activities, if noticed; and under no circumstances can preventive orders be passed by the court, because such prevention is not only unconstitutional but also results in encouragement of crimes in the society.