HC asks Sethi to approach Assembly for redressal

Mumbai, July 17 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today directed Dance Bar Owners Association president Manjit Singh Sethi to seek redressal from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly which had handed him a 90-day jail sentence for alleged breach of privilege of the House.

The case came up for hearing before a full bench comprising justices V G Palshikar, Dr S Radhkrishnan and V M Kanade who directed the petitioner to approach the House with his fresh appeal.

Depending on the response from the House, the case will come up for further hearing on Wednesday.

Earlier the petitioner's counsel Mahesh Jethmalani told the court that according to the law, when the House gets prorogued, if they do not pass a fresh resolution for the balance sentence at the beginning of the next session on the first day, the sentence is deemed waived.

The sentence cannot be deferred and the custody of the sentence is limited by the duration of the session. A prisoner is automatically entitled to be released when the House is prorogued.

The court was also told that no such resolution was passed by the House during this monsoon session of the House.

Mr Sethi was handed over a 90-day sentence by the House for allegedly making threatening statements that spouses of ministers will not be allowed to move about freely.

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