26.crwp­220­11.doc jdk IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRI. WRIT PETITION NO. 220 OF 2011 Shri. Laxman Vitthal Mane and Anr. ..Petitioners Vs. The Deputy Commissioner of Police Solapur City and Anr. ..Respondents Shri. Girish Agrawal i/b Ramesh M. Agrawal and Associates for petitioners Shri. A.S.Shitole Additional Public Prosecutor for the respondents. CORAM : B.R.GAVAI, J. DATE : 11th AUGUST, 2011. P.C.: 1. Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith. Heard by consent of the parties. 2. The petition impugns the order dated 3rd August, 2007 passed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Solapur thereby refusing to renew the licence of the petitioners which is required to run the lodge and the order passed by the Honourable Minister for Home dated 28th April, 2008 thereby dismissing the appeal filed by the present petitioners. 1 26.crwp­220­11.doc 3. The authorities have refused to renew the licence of the petitioners on the solitary ground that there are criminal proceedings pending against the present petitioners. 4. The State of Maharashtra vide Circular dated 23rd January, 2009 has specifically directed that the licence should not be refused to be renewed on the solitary ground that the criminal proceedings are pending against the licensee. 5. Since no other ground is shown in the impugned order for refusal of the renewal of the licence, the present petition needs to be allowed. 6. Rule is thus, made absolute in terms of prayer clause (b). [ B.R.GAVAI, J. ] 2