Gujarat High Court Slams Unscrupulous Petitioners with Huge Penalty
The Gujarat High Court imposed a collective penalty of Rs 1.4 crore on seven petitioners for filing a PIL with personal vendetta motives, without disclosing their credentials. The court emphasized the need for transparency and dismissed the case, directing the funds to aid orphaned children.
- Country:
- India
The Gujarat High Court has taken a firm stance against seven petitioners, imposing a staggering Rs 1.4 crore penalty for filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) driven by personal vendetta. The court found their actions to be unscrupulous as they failed to disclose essential credentials while seeking to cancel a builder's development permission.
Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice D N Ray dismissed the writ petition with an exemplary cost of Rs 20 lakh from each petitioner. The penalty funds are designated to support the Gujarat State Legal Services Authority and benefit orphaned children, as outlined in the court's official order posted online.
During the hearing, the court expressed strong disapproval of the petitioners' lack of transparency, highlighting the obligations under PIL law. The respondents' lawyer noted that the petitioners were charged with extortion and attempted to frame their business rivals under the guise of public interest, which the court firmly rejected.
(With inputs from agencies.)
Google News