Hearing on MET chairman's petition against Bhujbal from Sep 10

The court has posted the petition, filed by Sunil Karve, co-founder and chairman of MET, for final hearing after Karve's lawyer Rajendra Shirodkar argued that after the city police refused to register case against the minister and his family, all records and documents pertaining to the trust funds are being destroyed.

"The process of destructing evidence has begun. The police have refused to take action in the matter. Hence CBI should be handed over the probe," Shirodkar said.

Advocate General Darius Khambata told the court that the city police's economic offences wing conducted a preliminary inquiry into the allegations.

"According to the police, no cognisable offence is made out. It is a civil dispute between trustees of an organisation and the charity commissioner is already looking into it. The petitioner has the option of filing a private complaint before a magistrate," he said.

A division bench of Justices V M Kanade and P D Kode, after hearing both the sides, adjourned the petition for final hearing on September 10.

According to Karve, Bhujbal and his family members, all trustees of MET, had indulged in corruption and misappropriated funds to the tune of Rs 177 crore for their personal use.

In his petition, Karve stated that the "possibility of bias in investigations cannot be ruled out" since Bhujbal is a cabinet minister. He has further alleged that Bhujbal and his family members have illegally occupied an entire floor of the trust building in the city.