New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday reduced an earlier fine imposed on actor Juhi Chawla related to her plea to stop the launch of 5G networks in India. The division bench, headed by Justice Vipin Sanghi, passed the order, reducing the fine from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 2 lakh.
On January 25, the court had told Chawla's lawyer Salman Khurshid that it would not completely eliminate the fine imposed by the previous bench, adding that due to the actor's celebrity status, she could opt for social work for the Delhi State Legal Services Authority alongside the Rs 2 lakh fine.
Appearing via video conferencing during the hearing on Thursday, Chawla said that she would be proud to undertake social work for the Delhi legal body.
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On June 4. 2021, a Delhi HC single-judge bench of Justice JR Midha dismissed Chawla's petition seeking to put a stop to the installation of 5G wireless networks across the country. While imposing the fine, the bench had further observed that the actor had not deposited court fee for the hearing, noting that it was against the established norms of law, directing her to deposit it within a week.
“The petitioner has not provided any evidence in favour of her petition”, the HC had said, adding that the government should have been served a notice by Chawla before she approached the High Court.
Chawla's plea, based on a study, stated that there was a risk of deterioration of public health due to radiation from the 5G devices.
“The technique is quite harmful. No study conducted so far shows that 5G technology is safe for human beings. In such a scenario, this technology should be stopped from being launched”, the petition said.
