Court Rejects PIL Alleging Fraud in Mumbai-Thane Tunnel Project, Citing Misleading Claims
Court Rejects PIL Alleging Fraud in Mumbai-Thane Tunnel Project, Citing Misleading Claims
In a significant ruling on Tuesday, the Bombay High Court dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by journalist V. Ravi Prakash, which challenged a major road tunnel project between Mumbai and Thane. The court criticized the petitioner for approaching it with “unclean hands” and making “scandalous” remarks against the judiciary, ultimately ruling that the petition was not filed in good faith.
Prakash’s PIL raised concerns over alleged fraud involving bank guarantees submitted by Megha Engineering Infrastructure Ltd. (MEIL) for the ₹16,600.40 crore road tunnel project, awarded by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The petition sought to have the contract canceled and called for a CBI investigation into the alleged misconduct. MEIL and the government opposed the plea, arguing that it lacked merit, and further contended that the petitioner had made inappropriate comments on social media attacking the court after filing the PIL.
The court, led by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Bharati Dangre, found Prakash guilty of contempt of court. They stressed that anyone filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) must be honest and transparent with the court. However, Prakash failed to disclose his ongoing legal battles with the company, hiding important information.
Despite these serious issues, the court chose not to initiate contempt proceedings against Prakash, as he removed the offending posts from social media shortly thereafter. Ultimately, the court dismissed the PIL, emphasizing that it was not filed with honest intent.
