HC rejects plea against Adani power contract, fines petitioner Rs 50K

The Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed a petition challenging a contract awarded by the Maharashtra government to Adani Group for supply of renewable and thermal power electricity, noting the plea was "unsubstantiated and reckless".

A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar also imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 on the petitioner - Shriraj Nageshwar Aepurwar - for the vague petition.

Aepurwar alleged the contract awarded to the Adani Group for the supply of 6,600 megawatts of renewable and thermal power was a violation of the petitioner's fundamental right to have access to fair electricity supply at a reasonable rate.

The plea also levelled allegations against former state chief minister Eknath Shinde, who is currently the deputy CM, of having been involved in corrupt practices while awarding the contract to Adani Group.

The bench, however, refused to accept the contentions and said, "In our opinion, filing of such petitions containing unsubstantiated and reckless averments run the risk of sometimes even good causes being lost."  The petition made "vague and unsubstantiated" assertions that the contract awarded was a scam involving government authorities, it noted.

The HC said the petition did not contain any supporting materials to show the former chief minister (Shinde) was involved in any corrupt practices.

The petitioner was not a participant in the tender process of the contract, the court added.

"The petition is bereft of any substantiating and supporting material and contains absolutely bald and vague allegations," the HC said dismissing the plea.

The court directed the Rs 50,000 cost to be deposited by the petitioner to the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority.