The Kerala High Court on Monday observed that until head-load workers understand that any conduct of theirs to extort money under the euphemism of ‘Nokkukooli’ would invite very serious consequences, the confidence of the State as an investor-friendly destination cannot be firmly established.
Justice Devan Ramachandran observed that what was at stake was not the business interests of the petitioner in the case before the court, but the collective interest of the State as a whole. Unless these deleterious tendencies such as Nokkukooli were done away with finally, the industrial and business atmosphere could never get better. In fact, no Government could countenance any tendencies that would destroy the economic well-being of a State.
The court made these observations while dealing with a case seeking police protection against the demand for Nokkukooli by the head-load workers.
The court emphasised that any attempt to demand Nokkukooli directly or in a veiled manner should be treated as extortion and the perpetrators should be brought to book under the most stringent provisions of the law.
The court said that even after the High Court declaration against demanding Nokkukooli, the media reported that it was still being practised.
Stringent measures
The State Government submitted that stringent measures had been taken against those who demanded Nokkukooli.
Counsel for the Kerala State Headload Workers Welfare Board submitted that its members had been given awareness classes and asked not to indulge in violence or demand Nokkukooli and that they could face prosecution for the offence of extortion under the Indian Penal Code.
