PIL In Bombay High Court Seeks CBI, ED Probe Into Ex-Maha CM Uddhav Thackeray's Wealth

The criminal PIL is filed by Gouri (38) and Abhay Bhide (78), whose family had briefly printed Shiv Sena supremo, Bal Thackeray's weekly during the emergency. Gouri said she was inspired by the motto "Na khaunga na khane dunga."

The matter was adjourned by bench of Justices Sanjay Gangapurwala and RN Laddha to November 16, for removal of office objections.

"Once the matter is ready we will consider it. First remove the office objections, then we will hear it," it said.

Bhides are residents of Dadar, a stronghold of the Sainiks for several years. Their petition raises questions regarding land plots given by the Maharashtra Government owned CIDCO for trust Prabodhan Prakashan (Owner and publishers of Saamna newspaper).

The shareholding of the trust was changed and eventually owned by the Thackerays, the plea states. It adds that during the Covid-19 lockdown, Thackeray's company Prabodhan Prakashan Pvt. Ltd showed "brilliant performance" of Rs 42 crore turnover and Rs 11.5 crore profit. The petitioners call this a "clear case" of black money being converted to white money.

The petitioner has a "hunch" that BJP leader Kirit Somaiya or both agencies must have "huge information" and links pertaining to Thackerays.

"It seems it's a clear case of turning the black money into white one. The unaccounted money gathered from BMC and other sources might have been dishonestly digested (sic) into the accounts of the above-mentioned company and fictitious figures of profit have been shown for this digestion. This is not just a guess or baseless allegation. The statement of accounts of these companies will clearly reveal the fact. These assets are mainly benami transactions," her petition adds.

According to the petitioner, Uddhav, Aditya and Rashmi have never disclosed any "particular service, profession and business as their official source of income." And yet they have "huge properties in a metro city like Mumbai and in Raigad district, which may run into crores."

"It will be clear from those exhibits that holding an official post in any political party by itself, cannot be a legal source of income. Similarly, holding the constitutional posts of chief minister and cabinet minister in any state also is not a source of income as the remuneration is limited," her petition asserts.

Bhides claim that Thackerays additionally published the magazine Marmik and newspaper Saamna but they have never been subject to audit by the Audit Bureau of Circulation and nobody knows their print order.

Bhide claims that her complaint was sent to the police commissioner on July 11, 2022 and forwarded to the EOW but no action seems to be taken. Therefore, they have prayed for the High Court to direct the Centre, ED and CBI "to take cognisance of her complaint filed with Mumbai police and take the investigation in their hands." Moreover, for the investigation to be monitored by the Bombay High Court on a monthly basis.