Delhi HC Reduces Cost And Expunges Adverse Remarks Against Juhi Chawla After She Volunteers To Do Social Service
A Division Bench of the Delhi High Court today reduced the costs imposed on actress Juhi Chawla by a Single Bench of Justice J.R Midha from Rupees 20 lakhs to 2 lakhs.
A Bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Jasmeet Singh while reducing the costs observed that "Plaintiff No. 1 has been raising issues against the adverse effects of radiation and has taken up several public causes in the past, therefore it appears to us that she did not take up the issue of 5g in a frivolous manner. What appears to have happened is the filing of exemption from filing of court fees on the ground that the judiciary doesn't decide cases on time and the exemption from serving notice under section 80 CPC, conveyed to the Single Judge the impression of the plaintiff not taking up the cause with seriousness. The plaintiff did not come from a legal background and should not be made to share the blame for the consequences of the manner in which the suit was drafted."
In this context, during the course of the hearing, Justice Vipin Sanghi narrated a story of how when he was a junior with Senior Advocate Mr. Mukul Rohtagi, a middle-aged lady was their client and she remarked that "achha vakil bhi kismat se milta hai". Further, he observed as a litigant one should keep their antennas on and lookout for deviants.
Kanwal Jeet Arora, Secretary of District services Legal Authority remarked that Juhi Chawla is a philanthropic and has worked in movies such as Gulab Gang and Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, where she worked raising issues for women and children respectively. He also remarked that if she agrees to work for children and women, it would help immensely as children and women have borne the effect of Covid-19.
Juhi Chawla appeared in person and remarked that she will be very happy to help in public causes. "I moved the court for my family and every citizen of this country against the radiation effect of 5G technology. It is an important manner, which has been sidelined. The observation made against me that I have filed this suit for garnering publicity may be expunged", she said.
The Court finally observed, "we expunge the observations made by the Single Judge in para 41 and 43 of the impugned order".
The appeal arose from the suit filed by Juhi Chawla to restrain the central government from taking any steps for 5g telecommunication services in the country on the grounds of radiation affecting human and plant life.
The suit was dismissed by a single judge for being defective and not maintainable. The single judge had imposed a cost of 20 Lakhs to be paid to the DSLSA.
