Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Jul 13: The skill games centre which was locked by city corporation officials during the raid by city mayor, Kavita Sanil, on Tuesday July 11, began to function again since Wednesday. The centre, which the mayor had accused of being operated without a licence, broke open the lock and began its operations as usual.
The owner of the club has voiced his objection to the way in which city mayor and police from the city had forcibly closed down the club. "There is clear high court order that recreation clubs where skill games are played do not need any licence or permission. The concerned should first serve us notice specifying under which law we are required to obtain licence from the city corporation. So far, we have never been served with any such notices," said owner of the club, Hariraj.
Mayor during raids on July 11
He said that the club raided by the mayor has licence and the health officer of the corporation had collected Rs 10,000 for its renewal. But the licence has not been renewed since the last three months. The city corporation should have served notice stating that they cannot renew the licence, and refunded the money collected. Why are they keeping our money? If they are doing illegal things, why we should face the music? Two cases earlier registered by the police have been stayed by the high court, which had expressed its displeasure against the police officers. No one including the corporation and police have the power to conduct raids in cases which are non-cognizable offences attracting punishment of less than seven years. As per high court order, people who attain the age of majority can play by employing money, he claimed.
The owner also said that it was for the mayor to question the health officer why the licence, renewal of which has already been applied for, was not renewed. "As per my information, police have collected money regularly every month," he claimed. He also said that during raids by police in the past, he was told that members had pooled money and given to them. The departments do not follow law, and expect us to strictly follow it, he retorted. He expressed the feeling that the raid by the corporation also might be an effort to collect money every month.
"I am prepared to pay fine of one lac rupees if I am at fault. I challenge police department to prove that they had acted as per law in this non-cognizable offence case. I will file contempt of court case relating to this raid and send complaints to Lokayukta and Anti Corruption Bureau," he said.
In the meantime, the city corporation has filed a complaint in police station about breaking open the lock of the city corporation which was placed for not holding licence to run skills game centre.
City mayor, Kavita Sanil, said that no court has issued permission to run business units without obtaining licence and challenged the concerned to show proof that court has permitted concerns to be run without obtaining trade licence. She said she is concerned only about obtention of licenes before operating business in the city. If they have paid money, they can take up with the concerned officials or file complaints against them, she advised.
City police commissioner, T R Suresh, said that several cases had been filed against skills game centres and that they had obtained stay order. He termed as false claims of the centre that they are paying regularly to the police. He said that the concerned can directly approach him with details of money paid and officials who collected it so that he can take steps.