NAGPUR, February 4: The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the alleged "huge" expenditure on the 60th birthday celebrations of Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi on December 2 in Mumbai.The PIL was filed by Mohanprasad Tripathi, proprietor-cum-editor of an evening daily. He alleged that under the garb of birthday celebrations, Joshi had collected gold articles and costly gifts. He maintained that it amounted to corruption as Joshi was a public servant and had not obtained sanction for accepting the same.
The petitioner had also named Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde and Cultural Affairs Minister Pramod Navalkar -- president and secretary of the Manohar Joshi Birthday Celebrations Committee respectively -- the chief secretary of Maharashtra and the Wizcraft entertainment company, which had organised a laser show on the occasion, as respondents.
The courthad issued notice before admission to all the respondents. During the lengthy motion hearing yesterday, Advocate-General C J Sawant, who appeared for the Chief Minister and the chief secretary, denied lavish expenditure on the celebration and receipt of costly gifts. No expenses were made from the public exchequer, he argued.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
