Rajasthan HC to Review Six Petitions in Notable Single Lease Case Involving Shanti Dhariwal
Click to start listening
Synopsis
The Rajasthan High Court will address six petitions on Monday regarding the prominent single lease case linked to former state minister Shanti Dhariwal. The court's review could complicate Dhariwal's legal situation as it involves multiple officials and past allegations of corruption.
Key Takeaways
- The Rajasthan High Court will hear six petitions on a high-profile lease case.
- Shanti Dhariwal, a former minister, continues to face legal scrutiny.
- Chief Justice M.M. Shrivastava oversees the proceedings.
- State officials are seeking to prosecute Dhariwal and others.
- The Supreme Court has set a six-month deadline for a verdict.
Jaipur, Feb 10 (NationPress) The Rajasthan High Court is set to review six petitions on Monday concerning the notable single lease case associated with former state minister Shanti Dhariwal.
The session, presided over by Chief Justice M.M. Shrivastava in accordance with a directive from the Supreme Court, may intensify Dhariwal’s legal challenges, as officials have indicated. Even after 14 years, the former minister remains under investigation in this case.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta will argue via video link representing the state government, while Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju and Shivmangal Sharma, the state’s Additional Advocate General in the Supreme Court, will be present in the courtroom.
The court may also deliberate on the state government's requests for permission to initiate prosecution against Dhariwal and other implicated officials during the proceedings.
This case traces back to June 29, 2011, when the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) issued a single lease in favor of Shailendra Garg from Ganpati Construction. In 2013, a complaint was lodged by Ramsharan Singh with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), leading to the cancellation of the lease.
After an investigation, multiple officials, including former Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) G.S. Sandhu, RAS officer Nishkam Diwakar, and then Deputy Commissioner Omkarmal Saini, faced arrest. The ACB also interrogated Dhariwal regarding this issue.
A subsequent petition sought to classify Dhariwal as an accused, prompting him to appeal to the High Court. On November 15, 2022, the High Court granted him relief by dismissing the protest petition and halting ongoing criminal proceedings in an ACB court. Dhariwal’s defense contended that his name was absent from the FIR and charge sheet, and the ACB’s closure report found no evidence against him.
Last year, the High Court resumed hearings in the 11-year-old single lease deed (ekal patta) corruption case. Following Supreme Court orders, the matter is being handled by Chief Justice Shrivastava’s single-judge bench, which addresses corruption allegations against Dhariwal and three former officials.
The Supreme Court has mandated the High Court to reach a verdict within a six-month timeframe.
