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Vyas case: HC raps former CMMumbai: Passing severe strictures against former Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi in Pune land scam c...

Vyas case: HC raps former CM
Mumbai: Passing severe strictures against former Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi in Pune land scam case, the Bombay High Court on Thursday observed that he had committed a fraud on the court by asserting that he was not at all concerned with the illegal construction of a building by his son-in-low, Girish Vyas, on a plot reserved for a school.

Delivering verdict on two public interest litigations that challenged undue favours by officials by shifting the reservation from the plot to accommodate Vyas, Justice B N Srikrishna and Justice S S Parkar remarked: quot;He Joshi was very much interested in knowing the progress of the case and also very much concerned with the matter.quot;

8220;He was very much concerned with the case even before it came to him in August 1996. Such vital information Joshi had concealed from the court,8221; the judges observed.

Saying that it was a serious matter, the judges remarked that it was expected of the then chief minister to be absolutely frank with the court and not to file an affidavit like a 8220;petty official.8221;

Joshi8217;s statement in his affidavit that until July 26, 1996, he was not concerned in any way with the matter was a 8220;fraud8221; on the court because on April 24, 1996 he had summoned a report of Pune Municipal Commissioner in this regard, the judges noted.

The judges felt that former chief minister8217;s action of calling for the report of Pune Municipal Commissioner in this matter could not regarded as a gesture of 8220;idle8221; curiosity or that of a media person nosing around trying to get a scoop.

With PPS raging, Radha and Sita walk out of Fire
Shringar: Films, distributors of the controversial film, Fire, have agreed to make three cuts in the film at the behest of the Patit Pawan Sanghatana PPS.

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In a statement issued here, PPS joint state coordinator Sandeep Khardekar said Balkrishna Shroff of Shringar Films and proprietors of Rahul Talkies and Mangala Talkies agreed to the demands put forth by the PPS. They have agreed to remove the scene showing the servant masturbating while watching a blue film in the presence of the old mother-in-law, delete the Chinese character and drop the names of Radha and Sita throughout the film. Bhandari also agreed for further cuts if the PPS so desired.

PPS leaders maintained that although they would permit the film to be screened, they would be personally present outside the theatres and try and convince people not to see the film since it portrayed wrong values.