Hundreds of public interest litigations are pending before the Bombay high court which raise issues concerning the public at large and a few individuals are fighting a lonely legal battle to bring a positive change in the society. Shrikant Karve’s petition is pending for a long time, and despite the court issuing several directions, the government has not acted to implement the court. But Mr Karve has not given up, and his quest to bring about positive change is still underway.
"The time I decided to file the writ petition I calculated everything and was mentally prepared to fight a long legal battle," said Mr Karve, a resident of Pune. He has filed a petition challenging RTOs' practice of issuing fitness certificates to vehicles without conducting fitness tests as required by the norms.
Mr Karve, who himself was running a transport business until shutting it down in 1995 said, "An RTO officer asked Rs 700 as a bribe, which I refused to give and told him that somebody would teach him a good lesson. Later, I decided to teach him a lesson and filed a writ petition in the high court in 2012. After a year, a division bench headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar converted this petition into PIL, as it raised an issue concerning the public at large."
"So far the court has issued several directions but the government is adopting the strategy of killing time, and it is not taking any action against its officers who fail to comply with the court order or who violates the law," said Karve.
Since this petition caused trouble to many in transport business too, Karve also received threats in the past. He was provided with a security cover, but later he himself gave it up. He said, "I don't have any bad habit that needs too much money. I live a simple life.”
Malegaon Blast
In a major development in 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, the special NIA court on December 29, rejected discharge applications filed by seven accused.
Death in Byculla jail
A special women's court in November rejected the bail applications filed by three Byculla prison staff in connection with the custodial death of jail inmate Manjula Shetye.
Naik under scanner
The NIA in October 2017 filed a 5000-page chargesheet against 51-year-old controversial televangelist Dr Zakir Naik and his aides for allegedly inciting youngsters and financing terror activities.
Since, Naik is evading the authorities; the investigating agency has not been provided with the copy of the chargesheet to him or his lawyers.
93 blast verdict
A designated court of TADA in July 2017 pronounced verdict in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blast case. TADA court awarded life term for Abu Salem and Karimullah; death sentence for Tahir Merchant, Feroz Khan.
