Mumbai: In connection with the Public Interest Litigation- PIL by which the directions to the Police were sought for filing the case of Cheating and Forgery against MP- Hema Malini and Eknath Khadse- the Revenue Minister from the Maharashtra Government, for their alleged involvence in the illegal allotment of land in the city for Hema Malini’s dance academy at a nominal price, the High Court of Bombay sought, yesterday, decided to hear the plea on next date, i.e. on 21st day of April.
While considering the PIL filed by the petitioner- Ketan Tirodkar, the concerned bench of the High Court of Bombay, comprising of Justice- Abhay Oka said that instead of seeking criminal actions against the golden age movies actress- Hema Malini and authorities, can also file a civil plea to challenge the decision of the State Government in connection with such allotment of the land for the dance academy.
It is sought to be maintain in the plea by the petitioner- Tirodkar that there have been a series of judgements of the higher judiciary where those courts held that the State cannot allot the public property without issuing an advertisement, whereof the State is to invite applications from the needy people.
Also, in the petition is stated that the MP- Hema Malini is recently allocated with the said plot of land in Suburban Andheri for running an academy for training the students in Indian Classical Dance of Bharat Natyam. And this is claimed by the petitioner as in ‘violation’ of norms and orders of the High Court.
It was actually, as per Petitioner, the letter (dated 6th July, 2007) from the Minister- Hema Malini’s dance academy, through which the Government of Maharashtra was urged to allot alternative land against the Coastal Regulation Zone- CRZ land in Versova. Also, under that letter the Government urged by the Academy that to allot it a plot of 2000 square meter from the reserved land for the dance academy in ‘suburban Andheri’ and also proposed for the development of a garden on the remaining land by its own trust. And this proposal made under the letter, was accepted by the Government concerned on 30th day of July, 2010, as per petitioner.