Mumbai: The Mumbai High Court has reserved its orders on a PIL petition filed against the MMRDA for awarding a construction contract for a Twin Tube Road tunnel between Borivali and Thane to the construction company MEIL.
The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Mr. Alok Aradhe and Justice Bharati Dangre, announced that it would render its judgment on the PIL filed by Hyderabad-based journalist Ravi Prakash. The petition alleges that the bank guarantees produced by MEIL from Euro Exim Bank are not valid, warranting an inquiry.
Solicitor General of India, Mr. Tushar Mehta, representing MMRDA, objected to the petitioner’s conduct and questioned his locus. He emphasized that the guarantees were authenticated by State Bank of India and State Bank of Maharashtra.
Former Attorney General Mr. Mukul Rohatgi and senior counsel Darius J. Khambata, representing MEIL, alleged gross contempt by the petitioner, accusing him of suppressing facts and filing the PIL for personal vendetta, not public interest.
In response, senior counsel Mr. Prashant Bhushan admitted to the petitioner’s mistaken tweets, which were later deleted. He suggested that the court appoint an amicus curiae to continue the hearings if the petitioner’s locus was found lacking.
The division bench has reserved its orders, which will be delivered soon.