HC seeks govt view on jurisdiction to hear PIL
The Bombay high court on Monday sought to know from the Maharashtra government whether it has the jurisdiction to hear a public interest litigation demanding a CBI inquiry against the MLAs, who allegedly assaulted a policeman inside the state Assembly premises recently.
“Whether we have jurisdiction in such cases and if we can issue notice to the respondents needs to be checked,” a division bench of Justice P.V. Hardas and Justice Mridula Bhatkar said.
The bench was hearing a PIL filed by former journalist Ketan Tirodkar seeking CBI inquiry against the MLAs who attacked traffic policeman Sachin Suryawanshi inside the Assembly premises last month.
The court, while posting the matter in June, asked public prosecutor Revati Dere to ascertain if the court has jurisdiction to hear the matter. Mr Tirodkar had sought probe by an independent agency on the grounds that the legislators might influence the police’s investigation.
Suryawanshi, the assistant police inspector, attached to the Worli police station, was allegedly thrashed by around 10 to 12 MLAs on March 19, a day after he stopped Independent MLA Kshitij Thakur’s car and fined him for speeding on the Bandra-Worli Sealink.
Following the attack, Thakur, besides his colleagues Pradeep Jaiswal (also an Independent), Rajan Salvi (Shiv Sena), Ram Kadam (MNS) and Jaykumar Raval (BJP) were suspended from Assembly till December 31 and a crime branch probe was ordered.
However, the legislative probe panel, which was investigating the police assault case, has found suspended police sub-inspector Suryawanshi guilty of insolence and recommended a departmental inquiry against him. The panel has also recommended revoking the suspension of three MLAs Jaykumar Rawal (BJP), Rajan Salvi (Shiv Sena) and Pradeep Jaiswal (Independent), as there was no substantial proof of thrashing against them.
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