In a setback to the state government, the Gujarat High Court on Friday
ordered that Governor Kamla Beniwal will take the final decision on whether
Fisheries Minister Purushottam Solanki can be prosecuted in a Rs 400-crore
fishing contracts scam.
The court rejected the contempt petition against Narendra Modi and his Cabinet but pulled up the government over the manner in which it handled the issue.
The government had reportedly refused to sanction Solanki’s prosecution on June 29. On Friday, the HC directed it to forward all the records pertaining to the denial of Solanki’s prosecution to Beniwal within a week, who would then take a decision within two weeks.
Representing the government, Advocate General Kamal Trivedi told the court that CoM’s decision not to sanction Solanki’s prosecution was conveyed to the Governor and, so far, she has not taken any decision.
The contempt plea was filed by Ishaq Maradia, who is also the complainant in the case. “The government was caught mid-way. My client was informed by the state that a final decision has already been taken. Only when we approached the court they backtracked and informed the court that a final decision is yet to come from the Governor,” said Maradia’s counsel Mukul Sinha.
He said the government should have informed Maradia that the matter is at such a stage at present.
The court rejected the contempt petition against Narendra Modi and his Cabinet but pulled up the government over the manner in which it handled the issue.
The government had reportedly refused to sanction Solanki’s prosecution on June 29. On Friday, the HC directed it to forward all the records pertaining to the denial of Solanki’s prosecution to Beniwal within a week, who would then take a decision within two weeks.
Representing the government, Advocate General Kamal Trivedi told the court that CoM’s decision not to sanction Solanki’s prosecution was conveyed to the Governor and, so far, she has not taken any decision.
The contempt plea was filed by Ishaq Maradia, who is also the complainant in the case. “The government was caught mid-way. My client was informed by the state that a final decision has already been taken. Only when we approached the court they backtracked and informed the court that a final decision is yet to come from the Governor,” said Maradia’s counsel Mukul Sinha.
He said the government should have informed Maradia that the matter is at such a stage at present.
