The petitioner are said to be "Sarvodaya" workers. According to them. Their leader is Sri M. P. Manmadan, renowned Gandhian. The petitioner are now accused in a case registered as Crime No. 235/86 of the Museum Police Station, Trivandrum. The said crime has been registered on the allegation that the petitioner prevented one Prasad from entering a liquor shop at Nandavanam in Trivandrum. The first information statement was furnished by the said Prasad and the police registered the crime for the Prasad and the police registered the crime for the offences under Ss. 143 and 341 of the Penal Code (for short the Code) read with S. 149 of the code. The incident happened on 8-9-1986 as part of a campaign against the evils of consumption of alcohol. This petition under S. 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure is to quash the said crime and the subsequent proceedings.

2. According to the petitioners, no physical obstruction had been caused by them to any one entering the liquor shop and instead, what they did was only to persuade those people who are inclined to alcoholism and also those who engage themselves in the distribution of alcohol, to desist from such activities, as the