Mumbai: Aghast at Slum Rehabilitation Authority’s (SRA) “false” assurances to it that a special cell was hearing complaints regarding rehabilitation flats in two projects in Sion-Koliwada, Bombay HC has initiated contempt proceedings against its CEO and two other officers.
On July 1, SRA told HC their complaints would be placed before the special cell. On July 8, it said notices had been issued for a July 10 hearing. On July 15, it said the hearing was on July 21. On Aug 7, after being informed by SRA that the cell would pass an order, HC directed a copy of it to be produced and said no further extensions would be granted. They said orders of July 1, 8, 15 and Aug 7 “have been breached with impunity by the SRA.
“…what has really shocked the conscience of the court is that the court was persistently misled to believe that the grievance of the applicants would be redressed, as also with full knowledge that such statements/assurances were false, amounting to a brazen disobedience of the orders… which appears to be quite intentional,” said Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale on Tuesday. The petitioners have been consistently denied a hearing despite SRA’s “clear assurances” that their complaints would be endeavoured to be decided within 15 days as per the Dec 23 order, they said. Such a conduct of SRA “prima facie amounts to intentional/wilful disobedience” of HC orders, “amounting to contempt”, they said.