NEW DELHI, FEB 10: The Government today informed the Delhi high court that it was proposing to take legal action against former prime ministers Chandrashekher and H D Deve Gowda for recovery of over Rs 6.28 crore for using Defence aircraft for private purposes during their tenure.Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S B Jaisinghani, while requesting a division bench comprising Justices Arun Kumar and D K Jain for issuing notices to Chandrashekhar and Gowda as their respective parties raised certian "objections" on the payments, said "the government proposed to initiate legal action against defaulters".The bench, however, refused to issue notices at this stage and directed the government to file an affidavit giving details on further action against the "defaulters".Jaisinghani further submitted that the government had recovered Rs 1,86,17,280 from Congress on account of the bills raised for using the planes by late Rajiv Gandhi, but the party had been "very submissive" in its approach regarding the payment of Rs 5.52 crore for use of aircraft by former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao.The government has given time to Congress till March 31, 2000 to clear the bills, he said.The court was hearing a public interest litigation by advocate B L Wadheara seeking recovery of over Rs 13 crore from the four former premiers for using Defence aircraft for their personal purposes during their tenure.The judges during arguments told Jaisinghani that the government should first use all its options instead of seeking notices from the court. "First we want to see what action you take," the bench observed while turning down its request for notices against Chandrashekhar and Gowda.Meanwhile, the Defence ministry in its affidavit said that Congress party had sought time to make payment for use of aircraft by Rao in "easy instalments" and it had been asked to clear the dues by March 31 "so as to avoide initiation of any legal process."The Samajwadi Janata Party headed by Chandrashekhar had raised "objections" to the government claim and questioned the "basis of making the political parties responsible" for the payments of the alleged unofficial journeys taken by him, the affidavit said.Deve Gowda's Janata Dal (Secular) had also sent a communication in December questioning the demand on "various" grounds, it said.By raising objection on the very basis of the government claim, the two parties in a way had "disowned the liability" to pay the dues, it said, adding their pleas were not "tenable".Regarding the petitioner's plea for recovery of interests on the arrears, the court said for this was an issue to be settled through a civil suit, not through the PIL.
