HC permits man to travel to Assam for father's last rites

Mumbai, Apr 8 () The Bombay High Court haspermitted a Pune resident to travel by road to Assam to attendthe final rites of his father amid the nationwide lockdown dueto the coronavirus pandemic.

Justice A K Menon on Tuesday heard a petition filed byone Binny Dholani, seeking permission to travel fromMaharashtra's Pune city to Lanka town in Assam to attend thelast rites of his father, who died of heart attack on April 5.

In his plea, Dholani said he was willing to travel bya cargo flight or any flight available, or in any other mannerthat he may be permitted to travel.

Since movements are restricted across the country dueto the lockdown, Dholani sought a direction to the authoritiesconcerned to permit him to take a flight or to make necessaryarrangements to enable him to reach Assam.

Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh told the courtthat it is not just the case of the petitioner, but there areseveral others who have died, some after contracting thecoronavirus, but in no case people are being permitted totravel by air.

Singh, however, added that the Union government wouldpermit the petitioner to travel by road if he desires.

Necessary instructions will be given to the Punecollectorate and appropriate steps will be taken thereafter tofacilitate the petitioner's road travel," he told the court.

Justice Menon accepted Singh's statement and directedthe petitioner to apply to the authorities concerned forpermission to travel by road.

"Once the petitioner decides to seek permission, he isalso directed to convey the road route he intends to take toreach his destination, so that the authorities would be awareof the various exit and entry points through which he wouldpass borders of various states to reach Lanka in Assam, thecourt said in its order. SPGK GK