NAGPUR, NOV 20: The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has slapped a fine of Rs 5,000 on Mumbai Police Commissioner R H Mendonca for inordinate delay in filing a reply to a notice issued by the court.A division bench of the court comprising Justice J N Patel and Justice S G Mahajan slapped the fine while hearing a criminal writ petition filed by Sunil Ghate, a close associate of gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli, on Friday.Ghate was detained by the Mumbai police on May 27 under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Siumlords, Bootleggers, Drug Offenders and Dangerous Persons Act. He challenged the detention order by way of a criminal writ petition before the HC's Nagpur bench. During the earlier hearing on September 29, the HC had issued notices to the State Government and the Mumbai Police Commissioner returnable within six weeks. But there was no response from the police chief. The division bench observed that six weeks was sufficient to file a reply and imposed the fine onMendonca for his failure to do so.He was lodged at Amravati Central jail. The detention order was approved by the advisory board set up under the act.He contended that he was detained under political pressure and that there were discrepancies in the detention order.
