The Bombay High Court has issued notices to the CBI, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in a case filed by RTI activist-advocate Pravin Wategaonkar seeking a directive to implead M/s. Reliance Infra-floated SPV M/S P S Toll Road Pvt Ltd in the case involving the alleged irregularities in the Pune-Satara toll collection project.
While hearing a PIL filed by RTI activist-advocate Wategaonkar and Sanjay Shirodkar, a HC division bench of Justices A.A.Sayyed and Abhay Ahuja ordered on Monday that NHAI be made a respondent in the case. The HC also ordered that notices be issued to the CBI, ED and NHAI and asked the three parties to file their say by January 24, 2021.
In his application filed before the high court on December 13, Wategaonkar had told the high court that the Union government had amended rules and taken away contractors’ right to collect toll with effect from January 1, 2014 for not completing six-laning of Pune-Satara National Highway as per agreement with NHAI.
As per agreement the contractor was to complete six-laning during the period October 2008 to March 2013. With a further grace period of 9 months, the contractor was to complete the project latest by December 2013. The petitioner stated that six laning remains incomplete even today. Advocate for Contractor informed the Court that Six laning would be completed by March 2022.
The petitioner told the court that the contractor however continued to “misrepresent” to the public at large that he enjoys the right to collect toll and has been collecting toll which amounts to cheating vehicle owners using the Road.
The petitioner pointed out that a complaint was filed with CBI. CBI has registered and completed Preliminary Enquiry as per its manual and found prima facie cognizable offence.
After the Maharashtra government withdrew general consent to CBI to register a case, the central investigating agency had written to the Uddhav Thackeray dispensation seeking permission to register the case.
The petitioner urged the Court to grant prayer seeking direction to CBI to produce a copy of the Preliminary Enquiry, its report and correspondence entered into with State Govt.