Delhi HC gives Juhi Chawla 1 week's time to pay 20 lakh fine in 5G case

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted a week to Bollywood actress Juhi Chawla and two others to deposit ₹ 20 lakh in costs imposed on them for abusing the process of law by way of their lawsuit challenging 5G wireless network technology. "The court is shocked at the conduct of the plaintiffs," Justice JR Midha said as he observed that Ms Chawla and others were "not even willing to gracefully deposit the costs". The judge was hearing three applications moved by the actor for refund of court fees, waiver of costs and replacing the word "dismissed" in the judgement with "rejected". The court's reaction came after Ms Chawla's counsel, Senior Advocate Meet Malhotra's, after withdrawing the application for waiver of costs, said that costs would either be deposited in a week or ten days, or legal remedies against the same would be taken." On one hand you move frivolous application and on the other hand, you withdraw the application and plaintiffs are not even willing to gracefully deposit the costs," the court said.The court stated that it, in fact, took a lenient view when it imposed costs of ₹ 20 lakh on Ms Chawla and others and did not initiate contempt proceedings.

"I was shocked... This court took a lenient view and did not issue contempt when case was made out... I was totally inclined. You say court had no power to impose costs (but) court has the power to issue contempt," the court said as it took strong exception to the application. Mr Malhotra clarified that the stand was not that the costs would not be paid, and did not even pressing the application for its waiver. The court recorded Mr Malhotra's statement that he sought a weeks' time to deposit costs and that recourse may be taken to avail legal remedies. The application for refund of court fees was also withdrawn by Mr Malhotra. Advocate Deepak Khosla, appearing for Ms Chawla and others, informed that the court fee had already been paid. "I'm yet to see a person in my judicial career a person who is not willing to pay court fees," the judge remarked as the application was dismissed as withdrawn. "Let bygones be bygones," Mr Malhotra urged the court. The court ordered that the third application seeking rejection of plaint would be placed before Justice Sanjeev Narula after the deposit of court fees. Mr Malhotra argued that plaint, which "never went up to the level of suit", could only be rejected or returned in terms of the Civil Procedure Code, and not dismissed. Further hearing in the case will take place on July 12.The high court in June had dismissed the lawsuit by Chawla and other others against the setting up of 5G wireless networks in the country citing health hazards due to the technology. The court had slapped a cost of Rs 20 lakh on the petitioners. Justice Midha had described the plea as "defective", "abuse of process of law" and filed for "gaining publicity".