HC dismisses PIL seeking ‘DA probe’ against Thackerays

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday dismissed a public interest litigation seeking a disproportionate assets case against former Shiv Sena - Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction chief Uddhav Thackeray and his family.

Observing that it sought a “roving enquiry”, the HC also imposed a cost of Rs25,000 on the petitioners holding that the PIL was bereft of any evidence and that it was nothing but an abuse of the process of law.

The PIL, filed by city residents Gauri Bhide and Abhay Bhide, sought the court’s direction to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) to conduct a “thorough and impartial” investigation against the ex-CM and his family.

Rejecting the petition, a division bench of justices Dheeraj Thakur and Valmiki Menezes said it provided no evidence that would give a basis to the court to conclude that prima facie a case was made out for an investigation by the CBI or any other central agency.

“On a reading of the complaint and the peti- tion, it appears that the petitioners are only speculating on the sudden rise in the prosperity index of the private respondents (Thackerays) from their humble beginning. Therefore, entertain a suspicion that the lifestyle maintained by the said private respondents could only be attributed to the corrupt practices in the BMC,” the bench said. Calling herself a “sincere and vigilant” citizen, one of the petitioners said in court she wanted to help the Government of India “un- earthing some more hidden, unaccounted wealth disproportionate to income and also unearth laundered money”.

Uddhav and his son Aaditya Thackeray.

The plea stated she was inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “fight against corruption”.

However, the court termed the PIL “nothing but an abuse of the process of law”, the HC dismissed it with a cost of Rs25,000. It directed the petitioners to deposit the amount in the Advocates Welfare Fund within a period of two months.

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PANCHAYAT SAMITI OFFICIAL HELD FOR `2K BRIBE DEMAND

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