The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said it was “shocked” by a petition filed by actor Juhi Chawla and other plaintiffs challenging a Rs 20 lakh fine imposed on them in relation to a petition they had filed against the rollout of 5G technology in India, Live Law reported.
Last month, the court had dismissed the petition against 5G technology calling the plea “defective and not maintainable”. The High Court observed that the plea was filed “for publicity” and imposed a fine on Chawla and two other appellants.
The petitioners then moved the court challenging the fine.
However, on Wednesday, Justice JR Midha took exception to the plea and said it was the “most frivolous” application he had seen.
“This court took a lenient view when it did not issue contempt notice to Juhi Chawla,” Midha said, according to The Indian Express. “Otherwise the case was made out. I am shocked with the conduct of the plaintiffs.”
The judge also pulled up the petitioners for filing a separate plea seeking refund of the court fees for the case. “You’re saying court has no power to impose costs?” he asked Chawla’s counsel, Senior Advocate Meet Malhotra.
Malhotra then agreed to withdraw the two applications. The court granted the petitioners a week’s time to deposit the fine of Rs 20 lakh, Mint reported.
The virtual hearing on the original plea against the rollout of 5G technology was also controversial as it was disrupted on three occasions as an unidentified person kept singing songs from Chawla’s movies during the proceedings. Chawla herself had posted the link to the virtual hearing on her social media which prompted several of her fans to join the online proceedings.
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