Raids in marriage halls during Covid, HC acquitted DM Shailesh Kr Yadav

The High Court of Tripura on Wednesday dismissed three writ petitions filed against the then District Magistrate (DM) of West Tripura district, Dr Shailesh Kumar Yadav for crackdown on two marriage halls during second wave of Covid pandemic.

Dr Yadav, being DM of the district and disaster management had carried out raids at Golab Bagan and Manikya Court marriage halls for violating Disaster Management Act, which was enforced to tackle second wave of Covid pandemic.

During the raids on April 26, 2021 last, 31 people including 19 women were detained for violating Disaster Management Act by the Agartala city police and a priest, bridge-grooms were roughed up.

Amidst massive reaction over the DM’s action and crackdown of two marriage halls across Tripura, two writ petitions and one Public Interest Litigation (PIL) were filed before the High Court of Tripura against Dr Yadav.

After massive public outcry the state government had to remove Dr Yadav as the DM of West Tripura district. After hearing the case, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice Arindam Lodh on Wednesday dismissed all three writ petitions filed against the then DM (West) Dr Shailesh Kumar Yadav, said Senior Advocate Samrat Kar Bhowmik, who moved the case in favour Dr Yadav.

Kar Bhomwik said that then DM as head of the district Disaster Management authority had carried out raids as the marriage ceremonies were going on by violating guidelines framed by the state government to control Covid pandemic.