Bombay HC raps cops for not acting tough against Eknath khadse

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Tuesday pulled up the police for dragging its feet and not registering a complaint against former BJP minister Eknath Khadse in the land deal involving the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) at Bhosari. The court directed the police to not wait for the report of the investigation committee set up to probe allegations made by the petitioner.

A division bench of Justice Ranjit More and Justice Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi was hearing the petition filed by Hemant Gavande, where he alleged discrepancies in a land deal between Mr Khadse’s family and the Ukani family. He alleged that the land in question bearing survey number 52/2A/2 at Bhosari had been sold for Rs 3.75 crore whereas the actual market value was Rs 31 crore at the time of the deal.

Advocate Sriniwas Patwardhan, the counsel for Mr Gavande, informed the court that despite previous directions of the court, neither the state nor police had shown any haste in registering a complaint against Mr Khadse’s family members, who were part of the land deal. The counsel for the state, Sangita Shinde, replied that the state had been waiting for the report of the investigation committee before registering the complaint.

However, the bench was not convinced by the state’s response and reprimanded it for dilly-dallying on the issue. While making oral observations, the bench said, “The committee will file its report when it will file it, but what is hindering the state and police from conducting its inquiry into the issue. Has anyone restrained you from conducting the inquiry? Will you not be taking any action before the committee submits its reply? You should initiate the inquiry if you have received the complaint along with evidence.”

After the tirade, on the request of the additional public prosecutor, the court adjourned the matter for January 24.