HC building work: PIL alleges corruption

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by a former Public Works Department employee has alleged corruption in the maintenance and renovation work of the Bombay High Court building. Ashok Shinde has said in the PIL that around Rs 6 crore have been “siphoned off” by PWD officials. The court on Thursday sought a reply from the department in two weeks. Shinde contended large amounts were claimed by PWD for bogus or unnecessary work from 2005-09. “The British engineers started the construction of the building in 1871 and when it was finished in 1878 they had spent less than what was estimated,” said advocate V P Patil,appearing for the petitioner. He alleged that now there is “rampant corruption” in the PWD. “Paver blocks were installed in High Court premises,removed,and re-installed and Rs 29 lakh was spent on this work,” he said. The petition also seeks inquiry into the “shoddy construction of Judicial Academy at Uttan,Thane” which was inaugurated by President Pratibha Patil last year. The academy was built by PWD.