Bombay High Court dismisses 3 PILs by same petitioner against NCP, Shiv Sena leaders

The Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed plea seeking a court-monitored probe into allegations of extortion against former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh [Hemant Patil v. State of Maharashtra & Ors.].A division bench of Justices SV Gangapurwala and SG Dige called the petition as “politically motivated” and “publicity interest litigation” without any element of public interest. In light of this, the petition was dismissed..The petition filed by activist Hemant Patil through advocate RN Kachve stated that Thackeray and Deshmukh had indulged in extortion of public, particularly businessmen.The petition also sought investigation against dismissed Mumbai cop Sachin Waze. The Court was informed by the advocate that investigation had commenced against Deshmukh and Waze after completion of the enquiry initiated post High Court direction to that effect on April 5, 2021. However, Kachve said that no investigation had been initiated against Thackeray. But the Bench was not convinced under which provision such directions could be issued. Accordingly, the petition was dismissed..The Court also dismissed two other PILs filed by Patil. One of the PILs filed this year, through the same lawyer, sought independent enquiry into the alleged misappropriation of figures of patients in the COVID centres managed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).The petition requested that inquiry be conducted against Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut and his associates Pravin Raut, Sujit Parkar, etc for their alleged involvement in the scam. The Court was, however, miffed at the sheer number of petitions filed by Patil.“We do not find any details in the allegations, no documents. We cannot direct a roving and fishing inquiry. No further orders can be passed. PILs are disposed off,” the Bench held..Another petition filed by Patil in 2021 also met with similar fate. The third plea sought investigation against a local Nationalist Congress Party for statements made to media that could allegedly have led to disharmony in public..Additional Public Prosecutor AR Patil appeared for State of Maharashtra.