Bombay HC Dismisses PIL Against MMRDA, MEIL in Borivali-Thane Tunnel Project

A bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Bharati Dangre dismissed the plea.

"In view of preceding analysis, PIL is dismissed," the Court said, while pronouncing the verdict.

The court had reserved its verdict on March 5 after hearing the PIL filed by Hyderabad-based journalist Ravi Prakash.

During the hearing, serious objections were raised regarding the petitioner’s conduct and intentions.

Representing MMRDA, Solicitor General of India Mr. Tushar Mehta argued that the PIL was not maintainable, as the petitioner lacked locus standi. He further pointed out that the guarantees in question had been authenticated by the State Bank of India and the State Bank of Maharashtra—facts that the petitioner had deliberately withheld.

On behalf of MEIL, Former Attorney General Mr. Mukul Rohatgi and senior counsel Mr. Darius Khambata contended that the petitioner had committed contempt of court by suppressing crucial facts and making defamatory social media posts targeting the court. They emphasized that the PIL was driven by personal vendetta rather than genuine public interest and called for action against the misuse of the PIL mechanism.

In response, the petitioner’s counsel, Mr. Prashant Bhushan, admitted that the social media posts were made in “over-enthusiasm,” later deleted, and had limited reach. He also stated that if the court found the petitioner had no locus standi, it might consider appointing an amicus curiae to examine the matter further.