Notice to Maharashtra for razing over anti-India slogan

Supreme Court Monday issued notice and sought the Maharashtra govt's response on a contempt petition filed by a man alleging that his house and shop were illegally demolished by authorities in Sindhudurg district following a "frivolous complaint" that his 15-year-old son had shouted an anti-India slogan during the India-Pakistan Champions Trophy match.

The petition said the time gap between the family members being named and the demolition shows "the punishment...was inflicted on account of them being arraigned as accused in a frivolous case filed by the complainant".

Man says house illegally razed, SC issues Maha notice
Supreme Court on Monday issued notice and sought the Maharashtra govt's response on a contempt petition filed by a man alleging that his house and shop were illegally demolished by authorities in Sindhudurg district following a "frivolous complaint" that his 15-year-old son had shouted an anti-India slogan during the India-Pakistan Champions Trophy match.

Appearing before a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih, advocate Fauzia Shakil said a "frivolous complaint" was made that the minor had raised a slogan against India during the match, and the demolition was carried out in violation of apex court guidelines framed in Nov last year. The bench readily agreed to examine the allegations and issued notice to Santosh Jirage, the chief officer and administrator of Malvan municipal council in Sindhudurg, on the contempt petition.

"The chilling sight of a bulldozer demolishing a building etc, and when the authorities have admittedly failed to follow the basic principles of natural justice and have acted without adhering to the principle of due process, such acts remind of a lawless state of affairs," the petition said.

"Such high-handed and arbitrary actions have no place in our Constitution and such excesses at the hands of the executive should be dealt with the heavy hand of the law and any such abuse of power and misadventure ought not to be tolerated by this court. Furthermore, such an action is wholly arbitrary and is an abuse of the process law, as such, the contemnor and other officials involved are guilty of taking the law in their hand and giving a go-by to the principle of rule of law," it added.

The petition said the chain of events as "aforementioned clearly depicts that the demolition is punitive".