Vilasrao Deshmukh seeks reversal of HC verdict on land allotment to Mukta Arts

NEW DELHI Science and Technology minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has petitioned the Supreme Court for quashing a scathing indictment the Bombay High Court made against him in a case relating to allotting land to Subhash Ghai’s Mukta Arts film studio.

Deshmukh has sought adjudication of the apex court on the issue of judicial power to entertain public interest litigation against high constitutional functionaries, saying he is the victim of political vendetta. “A finding of the high court to the effect that the petitioner ‘clearly misused his official position as the chief minister of the state’, acted in the manner that could be described as ‘unusual’ and/or ‘not acceptable’ and/or gave political and patronage and/or blessings to illegal actions are extremely serious and/or damaging and have and will continue to undermine the credibility and/or reputation of the petitioner,” said Deshmuksh in his special leave petition.

“These findings, if allowed to remain outstanding, will cause serious embarrassment and/or prejudice to the petitioner. These findings constitute serious strictures and tantamount to a judicial finding of malice,” Deshmukh’s plea said. The high court had said that Deshmukh as CM had misused his position to allot 20 acres at Film City, Goregaon, to the Ghai-promoted company for Rs 3 crore, which was worth over Rs 66 crore, to further his son’s (Riteish Deshmukh) career. It had quashed the JV pact of October 24, 2000, executed between Maharashtra Film, Stage and Cultural Development Corporation and Mukta Arts.

“The high court erred in not appreciating that the petition was not a genuine PIL but a private interest litigation and was one of the series of private interest litigations which has been filed by political rivals to settle political scores with the petitioner,” Deshmukh said. The deal was executed in 2000, but PILs were filed almost nine years later which should have been dismissed by the HC, he contended.