SC refuses to entertain PIL seeking CBI probe against Vadra

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a PIL seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into licences granted to several real estate developers, including the one with which Robert Vadra is associated, for developing colonies in Haryana.

The apex court pulled up the petitioner for targeting only Vadra while the names of other persons who were also granted licences were not mentioned in the petition, saying it was done for "cheap publicity".

"Why did you choose only one person? Let us clarify that in the name of the PIL, we are not going to sully the name of a particular person. Merely because he is related to a political family, you cannot call him a sinner," a bench of justices H L Dattu and Ranjan Gogoi said.

The bench also questioned advocate M L Sharma, who filed the petition, on other prayers of his plea in which he pleaded to quash a decision of the state government.

The bench, while appreciating Sharma's work in recent past on various issues, said that he should focus on good work instead of indulging in publicity.

"Don't spoil the name of a person for cheap publicity. You should channelise you energy for people in need instead of cheap publicity," the bench said.

Sharma submitted that the plea was not targeting any person but was only pointing out Vadra's name as one of the cases.

The petition had also sought quashing of the reported order for stopping audit inquiry against colony licence issued to Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd with which Vadra is said to be associated.

The petitioner had claimed that the Department of Town and Country Planning issued hundreds of licences for over 21,000 acres land spread over Gurgaon and other parts of the state between 2005 and 2012.