Antilia land sale case: Bombay High Court dismisses petition against Mukesh Ambani

The Bombay High Court today dismissed a petition filed by activist Shadab Patel against the sale of property of Wakf Board to Reliance Industries boss Mukesh Ambani where his multi-storey home Antilia stands today on the upmarket Altamount Road.

The division bench of Justice V M Kanade and Justice Mahesh Sonak asked the petitioners to "explain the delay in filing the petition". Justice Kanade questioned why the petition has been filed 14 years after the sale of the said plot was sealed.

COURT QUESTIONS PETITION 14 YEARS AFTER SALE OF PLOT

The petitioner's lawyer Khan Javed Akhtar told the court that there was a Sheikh Commission investigating the sale and their report was published a couple of years ago. At this Justice Sonak too pressed the petitioners to explain the delay in filing the petition.

In Pics: Mukesh Ambani's house - Antilia

Advocate Khan told the court that he had explained this in his rejoinder affidavit which elicited a comment from Justice Kanade, "You should have explained it in your petition". With this he also asked the petitioner his locus in the case. On the petitioner reply that he was a social activist, Justice Kanade said, "If you were a bonafide petitioner, you would not have come after 14 years to harass the respondents."

COURT SLAPS HEFTY FINES ON PETITIONERS

Kanade went on to impose a fine of Rs five lakh at which the petitioner pleaded for some leniency to be shown.

"You can't file a PIL after 14 years and waste the time of court. If you have public interest then you should be prepared to pay the cost," Justice Kanade added and reduced the fine to Rs 50,000.

"It's time we take a decision to dismiss just frivolous petitions with heavy cost. Only then will we see this being stopped," the bench added.

Advocate Firoz Ansari who had filed an intervention application in the case asking for the Waqf land to be returned was also slapped with a fine of Rs 25,000 by court.

DONATE FINE AMOUNT TO CHARITY

Senior advocate Iqbal Chagla representing the Ambanis requested the court to let the fine amount be donated to some charitable organisations. The court then ordered the petitioner and intervener to deposit the money with the Tata Cancer Memorial.

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