The Jaipur hotel that was sealed around two months back over rumours of serving beef remains closed despite a court order, asking the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) to unlock it. The order followed a forensic report that established that the meat sample collected from Hotel Hayat Rabbani was not beef.
The court observed that the damage the hotel owner, Naeemuddin Rabbani, suffered due to the JMC’s actions could not be compensated with money. “The court passed the order on April 29. We got it on May 3 and gave it to the JMC the same day. I even have an acknowledgment receipt,” Rabbani said.
“It has been 54 days. I have lost money. My entire inventory has gone waste. My staff of some 30-35 people has been without pay.”
Kamal Didi-led cow vigilantes had barged into the hotel in March, accusing the management of serving beef. They allegedly assaulted Rabbani and his staff before the police collected the meat sample. DCP (west) Ashok Gupta confirmed that the sample collected and analysed was not beef.
“…if the petitioner’s property is not opened, then the seizure of the hotel, done without any legitimate reason and overlooking rules, will be more inconvenient to the owner, in comparison to the Nigam (JMC)… the loss suffered by the petitioner wouldn’t be possible to compensate with money,” additional civil judge and metropolitan magistrate Amarjeet Singh said in his order.
“The respondent (Jaipur) Nagar Nigam is ordered to open the seal of the petitioner’s hotel within seven days of the receipt of this order,” the judge said. JMC officials have repeatedly said that they have not received the order. Mayor Ashok Lahoti could not be reached for comments. Commissioner Ravi Jain, who took over four days ago, said he would look into the matter.
