Frivolous petitioner told to pay Rs.20,000 to Red Cross

GANDHINAGAR - In a rare order, the Gujarat High court has directed a petitioner to pay Rs.20,000 costs imposed on him for filing a frivolous petition to the Red Cross Society, Ahmedabad.

A division bench of the high court directed Manojkumar Baktarwala, to pay the cost of Rs.20,000 imposed upon him for wasting the court’s time.

The court directed the petitioner to pay the costs within six weeks. Normally, such costs are either deposited with the high court or the legal service authority.

As per the order made available Monday, the bench comprising Chief Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya and Justice Akil Kureshi said: “It has not been disputed that earlier writ petition was dismissed in absence of any public interest, and it was brought to the notice of the court that the case was filed by the petitioner in his personal interest.”

“If the amount is not deposited by the petitioner within six weeks, the society may move before collector to recover the amount by way of arrears of land revenue,” the court said.

Baktarwala had filed the petition in 2003 seeking removal of illegal construction in Baroda.