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Outbound fliers can buy cigarettes sans picture warning 

Despite a ban on sale of cigarettes without pictorial warnings in the country, the Supreme Court Friday allowed their sale to outgoing passengers by the duty-free outlets at departure lounges of Indian airports.

Approving the sale, a bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Justice Deepak Verma and Justice T.S. Thakur ordered the release of international brand cigarettes worth Rs.75 lakh, seized by custom authorities from outlets at departure lounges of Mumbai international airport, for not carrying the pictorial warning.

The bench gave its order on a lawsuit by the DFS India Private Ltd, which has been given the license to set up duty-free shops at various international airports in the country.

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