Just Desserts? Petitioner who approached Delhi HC over getting chocolates for change from Airport Duty Free shop slapped with Rs 10,000 costs

The Delhi High Court recently imposed Rs 10,000 as costs on a petitioner who filed a PIL calling for an investigation into the operation of a Duty Free shop at Delhi International Airport.

On an examination of the case, the Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar found that the PIL was filed after the duty free shop had given the petitioner chocolates instead of change when he purchased a bottle of wine.

As recorded in the order, the petitioner had arrived at the Delhi International Airport last July, when he purchased a bottle of wine priced at Rs 9,740. After paying for the same, he was due to get Rs 360 back as change from the shop. The petitioner told the Court that instead of giving the change due, the shop had given him chocolates.

The Bench opined that there was no public interest involved in raising a dispute over the same.

Terming the case to be absolutely a private interest litigation, the Court dismissed the petition with Rs 10,000 as costs to be paid up by the petitioner.

“... looking to the facts of the case also, it appears that there is a private interest of this petitioner. Several grievances have been ventilated about the nature of the wine shop occupier.

Thus, there is no substance in this writ petition and the same is therefore dismissed with costs of ₹ 10,000/- which will be deposited by this petitioner before Principal Secretary, Delhi State Legal Services Authority within a period of six weeks from today.”

[Read the Order]