Somaiya seeks copies of probe reports against Tatkare

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya today urged the Bombay High Court to provide him the copies of the reports submitted by various state agencies which probed the charges of money laundering and land grabbing levelled against Maharashtra Minister Sunil Tatkare.
The Collector of Raigad district as well as the Anti-Corruption Bureau and Economic Offences Wing of Mumbai Police had probed allegations against Tatkare and recently submitted their reports in a sealed cover to the court.
The NCP minister, who holds the Water Resources portfolio, hails from Raigad. He has denied the charges which were listed in the PIL, filed earlier by Somaiya, on the basis of which a probe was ordered by the HC.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by Somaiya seeking a probe by a Special Investigation Team into the alleged money laundering and land grabbing by various companies purportedly floated by Tatkare and his family.
A bench headed by Justice S J Vajifdar asked Somaiya to make an application within three weeks to seek copies of the reports. The PIL was posted for hearing after five weeks.
Vaibhav Pradeep Chorghe, one of the respondents and a director of a company allegedly floated by Tatkare, urged the Court to decide on the maintainability of the PIL.

He had moved the Supreme Court earlier saying the PIL was not maintainable. However, the apex court said the issue of maintainability of PIL may be decided by the High Court.

The apex court order was brought to the notice of the high court today by the respondents.
Somaiya, in his petition has listed 51 companies formed by Tatkare with his family members and friends as directors and alleged that they had purchased benami lands in Maharashtra and allegedly indulged in money laundering, thereby causing losses to public exchequer.
Tatkare has termed the PIL as "false, malicious and frivolous" and claimed that it was "politically motivated."
"The allegations made by the petitioner in the PIL are completely false and devoid of any factual basis. The vague allegations of corruption are motivated and do not make out any case of corruption or of commission of any criminal offences," Tatkare said in his affidavit.

"It has been alleged that my family and associates have floated and purchased several companies, which have acquired large land holdings. It has been alleged that these benami companies have been shown favouritism by manipulation in tendering processes and awarding of contracts. This is totally false and vague," Tatkare said.
He further refuted allegations that the companies are benami and owned and financed by him.