The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday granted an interim stay on all further proceedings on the First Information Reports (FIR) registered against persons who assembled and sought extension of oxygen production on Sterlite Copper premises in Thoothukudi.
Hearing a batch of petitions filed by people seeking to quash the FIRs registered against them for assembling and seeking extension of oxygen production, Justice G. Ilangovan granted an interim stay on the FIRs and adjourned the hearing.
The petitioners said that during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was shortage of medical oxygen. Natural resources company Vedanta was willing to manufacture medical oxygen for supply to hospitals. The Supreme Court had permitted Vedanta to operate its oxygen production unit on Sterlite Copper premises in Thoothukudi. The permission was granted to operate the unit till July 31. An extension is being sought.
Under these circumstances, on July 20, certain groups opposed the permission given to the company and submitted representations to the Thoothukudi Collector urging the government for an early closure of the plant.
Subsequently, on July 28, some groups wanted the production of oxygen to continue and had assembled to give a representation in this regard. Thoothukudi police booked the people for various offences.
The petitioners said the police had given protection to the other group. But, strangely took the view that an assembly with a different view from the other group was not legal and registered cases. The petitioners included employees of the company.
The people were booked under Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 268 (public nuisance), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 271 (disobedience to quarantine rule) read with 109 (abetment) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 3 (Penalty) of the Epidemic Diseases Act. They sought the quash of the FIR.
