SC dismisses PIL for scrapping HZL-Vedanta deal of 2002

New Delhi: The Supreme Court dismissed a petition challenging the then NDA government’s decision in 2012 to sell its stake in Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) to Vedanta Group and imposed a cost of Rs 25,000 on the petitioner for filing a “frivolous” plea. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice R M Lodha refused to entertain the petition filed by advocate M L Sharma saying, “Why are you digging out something from the grave?” Taking a stern view, initially the bench, also comprising justices M B Lokur and Kurian Joseph, imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 on Sharma but later reduced it to Rs 25,000 after he requested for leniency.