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Synopsis

The Bombay High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought the formation of a 'Transnational Sanatan Commission' and imposed a cost of Rs. 10,000.

A division bench of the high court, comprising Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar, was hearing the PIL filed by a self-styled criminology firm through its founder, Mr. Snehil Dhall.

The PIL sought directions for the respondents to constitute an Anti-Organized Crime Unit, cancel or revoke all leases and allotments of properties within the Aarey Milk Colony, and issue a directive to shut down the UNICEF-aided Dairy Teaching Institute, replacing it with an Anti-Organized Crime Unit or an Office of UNTOC to tackle these crimes in accordance with 20th-century requirements.

The petitioner also prayed for a direction to UNICEF and New Zealand to provide reports on the use of 100% buffalo-dried milk imported from New Zealand. Additionally, the PIL sought an order to establish 4,000-acre cow farms in Aarey Colony and other locations in the State of Maharashtra. The petitioner further sought a constitution of a 'Transnational Sanatan Commission.'

The petition also included a prayer for a direction to the State of Maharashtra to allocate a dedicated budget for regular Pujas, Aartis, and other Hindu rituals in all temples, with the state also being responsible for paying the salaries of priests (Pandits) and other staff required for the temples.

The high court while dismissing the petition said that no mandamus can be issued merely for enforcing a particular thought of an individual or an organization if it is not supported by any legal premise. The bench said prayers made in the PIL petition against the UNICEF (United Nations Organization) and New Zealand, cannot be entertained by the Court in the exercise of its jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.

The bench further said, “The other prayers relating to establishment of ‘Anti-Organized Crime Unit’ or SIT or for establishing ‘Transnational Sanatan Commission’ or ‘Maharashtra Cave Temple Commission’ appear to be an outcome of fancies of the petitioner for the reason that no factual or legal basis, whatsoever, has been laid in the PIL petition,” the order reads.

The high court noted that the averments made in the PIL petition are full of fancies which according to the petitioner

“We find ourselves at loss of words if we peruse the array of respondents where even the UNICEF, United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, Consulate General of New Zealand, Chief of Defence Staff, Ministry of External Affairs and President of India’s Office have been arrayed as respondents. Even the averments made in the PIL petition are full of fancies which according to the petitioner, are based on some research said to have been conducted by him,” the order reads.

The high court imposed a cost of Rs. 10000 and directed it to be paid within six weeks with the Prothonotary and Senior Master of the Court which shall be tendered in the accounts of Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority

Case title: Crimeophobia vs Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Ors