Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has asked the petitioner, challenging the procurement and distribution of pressure cookers, to get information under the RTI instead of asking the court to direct an inquiry into it.
The HC was hearing a PIL by advocate Nikhil Kamble accusing BMC officials and MLA Dilip Lande of orchestrating a criminal conspiracy by misappropriating public property, the petition has pleaded a judicial inquiry along with compensation against the loss to public funds.
The BMC reportedly bought 50,000 cookers at a cost of Rs. 12.50 crores, alleged to be four times higher cost than the market price. The drive was actually a part of a municipal social welfare scheme meant for the underprivileged living in L ward. However, BMC got them distributed by Chandivali MLA Dilip Lande and through a series of events, the latter passed off the initiative as his own by etching his own name on the cookers.
Kamble’s Advocate submitted that the cookers were purchased from BMC’s funds. On a court query, he was unable to explain on what basis was the said statement made.
A bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar remarked that the entire petition was based on “speculation” that the corporation’s money was used. “You don’t know who owns the funds. You don’t know who the beneficiaries are. Get information under RTI and then file the petition,” the HC said.
Petitioner’s advocate sought time till Wednesday to take instructions on withdrawal of the PIL.
