HC dismisses PIL seeking Manohar Joshi's prosecution

Mumbai, Aug 29 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today dismissed a public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking to prosecute Senior Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi by holding him responsible for the July 26, 2005, deluge in the metropolis as during his chief ministership he had sold about 300 plots to city's builders, causing the floods.

The PIL was filed by one Dinesh Kamath from Thane who, in the application, had cited some newspaper reports alleging that Mr Joshi, while he was Chief Minister from 1995 to 19999, had sold nearly 300 plots in Mumbai to different builders at a throw away prices and development of these plots had caused floods in Mumbai on July 26.

It sought to hold Mr Joshi responsible and asked to prosecute him for the death of more than 500 people, who died in the floods.

Dismissing the PIL, a Division Bench comprising Justice J N Patel and Justice Ahamed Sayyad today observed that the allegations made in the petition were vague and based on the newspaper reports.

The court also observed that the allegations were not supported by any other evidence, as no affidavits of editors or any other responsible from the newspapers were filed by the petitioner to support his claim.

UNI