The Supreme Court refused to interfere with the Gujarat High Court’s dismissal of a PIL concerning alleged illegal construction near Lajpore Central Jail, Surat. The Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, however, set aside the ₹20-lakh exemplary cost levied on the petitioner.
The case stemmed from a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Petitioner before the Gujarat High Court, alleging illegal construction and unauthorised commercial activity near the Lajpore Central Jail, Surat. The High Court, however, found that he himself was facing prosecution for extortion and blackmail under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) after being caught in a police sting operation accepting ₹45 lakh from the complainant-businessman.
The High Court observed that a person facing such serious allegations cannot be recognised as a bona fide public-spirited litigant, and held that an unscrupulous individual of this nature ‘cannot be permitted to misuse the process of the Court.’ Concluding that the petition had been filed with an ulterior motive rather than any genuine public interest, the High Court, on May 2, 2025, dismissed it with exemplary cost of ₹20 lakh.
Aggrieved by this order, the Appellant approached the Supreme Court by way of a Special Leave Petition (SLP). The Supreme Court declined to interfere with the Gujarat High Court’s decision to reject the PIL, holding that no grounds were made out to warrant intervention. However, the Court set aside the ₹20-lakh cost imposed on the petitioner while leaving the rest of the High Court’s order undisturbed.
Appearances
Petitioner- Ms. Anuja Pethia, AOR Mr. Noor Shergill, Adv. Mr. Hareshkumar J Nihalani, Adv. Mr. Rishabh Nigam, Adv. Ms. Kshirja Agarwal, Adv. Mr. Rishabh Govila, Adv. Ms. Amisha Aggarwal, Adv.
Respondents: Mr. Shamik Shirishbhai Sanjanwala, AOR Mr. Aadit Sanjanwala, Adv. Mr. Aditya Tripathi, Adv. Ms. Aarushi Gupta, Adv.
