HC notice on petition seeking FIR against MoS Ranjit Patil

The Bombay High Court today issued notice to Maharashtra minister Ranjit Patil and others on a petition against the clean chit given to him by Anti- Corruption Bureau regarding allegations of owning disproportionate assets.
A division bench of justices Bhushan Dharmadhikari and Indira Jain sought replies by January 6 from ACB, state Home Department, Registrar General of Stamps, Akola Collector, Patil and others.
Petitioner Vikrant Kate contended that the ACB did not probe his complaint against Patil claiming the minister of State for Home acquired assets worth Rs 58 lakh, 486 per cent more than his income from known sources, when he was a government medical officer.

Kate alleged that ACB was apathetic apparently because Patil was now MoS Home, which controlled the ACB.
Government pleader Bharati Dangre argued that Kate had no locus standi (right to move the court) in the case, and he had filed many complaints against Patil and his family members because of personal enmity. ACB had found his complaint baseless, she said, seeking dismissal of the petition.
According to Kate, the minister's affidavit with the election nomination concealed information about properties he had acquired when in government service.
Kate had lodged a complaint with ACB in December 2014. ACB conducted 'confidential enquiry' but close the case when it found no substance in the complaint, she said.

Kate then moved the high court, seeking FIR against the minister under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Prevention of Money Laundering Act and the Income Tax act.