S. RANGARAJ Vs. THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioners in all these writ petitions are running beauty parlours/massage centers/Spas in and around the city of Chennai. They have come up with these writ petitions, seeking the issue of writs of mandamus to forbear the respondents from interfering with the business carried on by them. I have heard Mr. P.S. Raman, learned Senior Counsel appearing for the petitioner in W.P. No. 408 of 2014, Messers. S. Nagarajan, Srinath Sridevan, B. Rabu Mahohar, Ashok Menon, K. Harishankar, K. Dharmaraj, C. Yokesh, R. Thirumalai, D. Sam Nandhakumar, E.P. Senniyangiri, R. Manimuthu, learned counsel appearing for the petitioners in the other writ petitions and Mr. P.H. Arvind Pandian, learned Additional Advocate General appearing for the State and Dr. C. Ravichandran and Mr. A.P. Balasubramanian, learned Standing Counsel appearing for the Chennai Corporation.

(2.) Admittedly, the petitioners are running beauty parlours or massage centers or spas. It appears that they are subjected to raids, on a regular basis, by the officials of the Anti-Vice Squad of the Chennai City Police. Therefore, claiming that such raids and the frequent interference by the Police not only spoiled their business but also projected them in poor light and that the same also amounted to an interference with their fundamental right to carry on a lawful business, the petitioners have come up with the above writ petitions.

(3.) Of all the writ petitions on hand, one writ petition stands out. The said writ petition is the one filed by a company by name Influence Enterprises (India) Private Limited in W.P. No. 408 of 2014. This company had already filed a civil suit in C.S. No. 251 of 2009 on the file of the Original Side of this Court, praying for a decree of mandatory injunction to direct the State to formulate Rules and Regulations for conducting spa centres and for a permanent injunction restraining the respondents from interfering with the peaceful conduct of their business.