Kochi : The high court has directed the excise commissioner to decide within seven days on the replies submitted by two bar hotels in Kochi to show-cause notices issued for allegedly serving liquor to a 19-year-old man accused in the Nedumbassery car crash case, in which three youngsters were killed.
The petitioners submitted that cases had been registered against both hotels under Section 56(b) of the Abkari Act for allegedly serving liquor to Suhail, a person under the age of 23 years, who allegedly drove the vehicle. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kochi | Silver Rate in Kochi | Bank Holidays in Kochi | Public Holidays in Kochi Stay updated with the latest Kochi news. A bench of Justice M A Abdul Hakhim issued the order while disposing of petitions filed by Polakulath Tourist Home in Vyttila and Monsoon Empress on the Palarivattom Bypass, challenging the suspension of their bar licences and the show-cause notices issued to them. Subsequently, their bar licences were suspended and show-cause notices were issued asking why their licences should not be cancelled. The petitioners submitted replies to the notices and later approached the court, challenging the excise commissioner’s actions on the ground that the decisions had been taken without hearing them. During the hearing, counsel for the petitioners sought a directive to the commissioner to consider their replies. Accordingly, the bench disposed of the petitions, directing the commissioner to decide on the replies within seven days. Download the TOI App.