Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala state consumer disputes redressal commission has set aside a non-bailable warrant issued by Kottayam consumer protection district commission against a 76-year-old doctor who was arrayed as an expert witness in a petition. The district commission issued a non-bailable order against the doctor after he did not turn up before the commission, as directed by it, on June 22, but had informed the commission that he was ready to appear on July 25.Setting aside the district forum order, the commission state president Justice B Sudheendra Kumar said the district commission’s act of issuing a non-bailable warrant against the expert witness was not “legal, proper and correct”’. The doctor had sent an email to the district forum to apprise it of his inconvenience to appear on June 22. “Ignoring the said request, the district commission proceeded to issue non-bailable warrant against the revision petitioner. Even otherwise, normally, for procuring the presence of an expert witness , if he fails to appear on summon, bailable warrant alone will be issued,” the state forum noted in the order.The commission said the revision petitioner shall appear before the district commission on the next hearing date. If the revision petitioner has any inconvenience to appear before the district commission on the next hearing date, he shall file an advance application, informing about the date convenient to him, the order said. The state commission found there was no necessity to issue notice to the respondents or call for the records from the district forum, as the matter in dispute did not pertain to the facts of the case.
