The Bombay High Court on Tuesday dismissed the public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a directive to the BCCI not to hold IPL 2020 matches out of India by an advocate, who withdrew his plea after being asked to prove his bonafide.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Revati Mohite-Dere had asked the advocate Abhishek Lagoo to deposit a 'very heavy amount' as a security deposit.
"You first deposit a very heavy amount in this court as security and only then we will hear your PIL," CJ Datta told Lagoo's counsel Anjali Herlekar.
The bench clarified that it would hear the PIL only if the amount is deposited. "This amount would not be in lakhs, so note that too," CJ Datta remarked.
"But our cause is for the country. If the matches are shifted out, it will have a huge economic impact," Herlekar pointed out in a bid to convince the bench.
At this, CJ Datta replied, "Also, don't worry; you will get back your money if your PIL succeeds. But if the PIL fails, this huge amount would be used for the poor people of this country."
However, when the bench took up the matter again for hearing after a lunch break, Herlekar told the judges that her client Lagoo was not inclined to deposit the amount and expressed her wish to withdraw the plea.