MP HC imposes cost of Rs 10,000 on Jyotiraditya Scindia for not responding to PIL

The Gwalior bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court has imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 on Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and others for not filing a reply to a public interest litigation (PIL) alleging land grab.

A division bench of Justices Sanjay Yadav and Vivek Agrawal imposed the cost on the Congress general secretary, his mother Madhvi Raje Scindia, sister Chitrangada Raje Scindia and the city-based Kamlaraja Charitable Trust on Wednesday.

The court passed the order after Scindia's lawyers sought more time to file the reply, petitioner's counsel, C P Singh, said on Thursday.

The court granted them a fortnight's time to file the reply "subject to cost of Rs 10,000 to be deposited with the High Court Legal Services Committee", as per the order.

The PIL has alleged that the Kamlaraja Charitable Trust, allegedly associated with the Scindia family, illegally sold government land to a builder.

The court had earlier granted the respondents time to file their reply on March 19 and again on April 30, advocate Singh said.

According to petitioner Upendra Chaturvedi, government land in Chetakpuri area of Gwalior was sold by the trust to a builder who constructed a seven-storey building there.

The land, spread over survey numbers 1211 and 1212, belongs to the government as per revenue records and therefore it cannot be sold, the PIL said.