The High Court of Karnataka on Monday barred two organisations from filing public interest litigation (PIL) petitions in the future after finding out they had abused the process of law in a PIL filed by them against the activities of Dharma Chakra Trust, a public charitable trust run by Ramachandrapura Math, Hosanagar.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice D.H. Waghela and Justice Ashok B. Hinchigeri passed the order, while dismissing the petitions filed by Association for Social Transparency, Rights and Action (ASTRA) and Sri Kshetra Gokarna Rakshana Samiti.
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The Bench also imposed a fine of Rs. 50,000 on each petitioner for misusing the law and the court.
They had sought a direction for a probe by an independent agency into the financial transactions of Dharma Chakra Trust and its head Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swamiji of the math.
However, it was brought to the notice of the court by the counsel representing the math that M.C. Chandan, managing trustee of ASTRA and Mallikarjun Patil of the samiti, who are allegedly facing criminal cases, had demanded Rs.10 crore to withdraw the PIL.
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The counsel for the math had produced the video footage of the demand for money and acceptance of some token sum for withdrawal of the petition.
The petitioners’ counsel, K.N. Praveen Kumar, gave an undertaking to the court that he would not file any PIL in the future after the Bench warned that it would refer the matter to the Bar Council for disciplinary action against him for having associated with the petitioners.