Kochi: The Kerala high court on Thursday asked the Indian Navy to restore the leave granted to Sunil Kumar Sahu, a sailor whom senior officials alleged had a mental disorder.
The court arrived at the decision after going through a report filed by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) that the sailor was mentally fit.
The court observed that it was satisfied that Sahu had no psychiatric problem currently. The court also observed that the sailor did not need to be taken back to the Navy hospital INS Sanjeevani, Kochi for further check up.
The Court also directed the Naval authorities to restore the leave already granted to Sunil Kumar Sahu, the sailor attached to INS Kattabomman at Tirunelveli, under the Eastern Naval Command with effect from Thursday for a period of 26 days.
A division bench comprising Justice V.K. Mohanan and Justice K. Harilal also held that after the leave, the sailor would have to report to INS Kattabomman.
A medical team of NIMHANS filed a report before the court stating that no evidence of any current psychiatric illness could be determined after a thorough inspection.
The court was considering a habeas corpus petition filed by Sahu's wife alleging illegal detention. Sahu had been granted 40 days leave with effect from October 27 and accordingly they had booked tickets, but he was taken to the Navy hospital, the petitioner submitted.
IG plea rejected
Kerala high court on Thursday rejected a petition filed by Inspector-General of Police E.J. Jayaraj, who sought to quash the case registered against him for misbehaving with fellow passengers in a train.
The railway police had registered a case based on complaints from other passengers on board Kozhikode-Thiruvananthapuram Jan Shatabdi Express. He had boarded the train from Thrissur.
The prosecution case is that the officer, in a drunken state, tried to throw away a laptop computer kept near his seat by another passenger and caused public nuisance.
The court observed that all the witnesses had stated that the petitioner was in a rebellious mood and that he behaved in an unruly manner under the influence of alcohol.
The case diary would reveal the specific allegations against the police officer, it said.
Toddy shops under scanner
The Kerala HC on Thursday asked the State to conduct periodical inspection and take appropriate action to ensure hygienic conditions in toddy shops.
A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice AM Shaffique made the observation while disposing of a petition alleging that most of the toddy shops were functioning under unhygienic conditions.
