Thaindian News

Mumbai, Jan 6 (IANS) The Bombay High Court Friday rejected a petition by a social activist seeking a probe into the trusts run by anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare.

Disposing of the public suit, a division bench of Justice D.D. Sinha and Justice V.K. Tahilramani directed the petitioner Hemant Patil to first approach the appropriate and concerned authorities, and if not satisfied by their response, gave him liberty to move the court.

RTI activist Patil, the president of Rashtriya Brashtachar Virodhi Janshakti, had filed the suit last year seeking a probe into the affairs of Hazare’s trusts, preferably by the Income Tax department.

He had filed the suit against Hind Swaraj Trust-Pune, Sant Yadavbaba Sikshan Prasarak Mandal-Ahmednagar, Bhrashtrachar Virodi Janandolan-Ahmednagar and Swami Vivekananda Kratdanya-Ralegaon Siddhi with which Hazare is directly or indirectly involved.

Patil had also named the Maharashtra government, the Charity Commissioner-Mumbai, Joint/Deputy Charity Commissioner-Pune division, Assistant Charity Commissioner-Ahmednagar and Income Tax Commissioner, as parties in the case.

“It appears that the Hind Swaraj Trust is not functioning in accordance of the law,” Patil contended in the suit.

He alleged that the trust and the trustees were involved in malpractices and had siphoned off funds taken from individuals by way of donations and by making misrepresentations.

He further claimed that one of the trustees, Trimbak Shivram Bharde, had expired in 2007 but the Charity Commissioner’s office had not been informed of this.

According to Patil, the trust had reportedly taken a loan of Rs.5 lakh from Firodia Trust, but no explanation has been given on its purpose till date.

Patil also pointed out that Hazare has always stated in public that he does not have an account in a bank or any property, but stays in four and five star hotels and travels in BMWs and other valuable cars during his travels around the country.