Bombay high court tells Vijay Gavit, kin to reply in assets case

The Bombay high court has asked state minister Vijay Gavit to file his reply to a PIL, alleging that he and his family have amassed illegal wealth.

The PIL, filed by NGO Nagrik Chatna Manch and Sham Deshpande and some activists, seeks action against Gavit and his kin under Prevention of Corruption Act, I-T act and IPC.

The PIL alleges that there has been a sharp rise in Gavit and family members’ income since he first became a minister in 1994.

Advocate Uday Warunjikar, who represented the petitioners, said information acquired under RTI shows that Gavit had shown his personal assets as Rs1.3 crore and total family assets was shown as Rs1.5 crore.  The nomination papers filed by Gavit in 2009, showed his personal assets were worth Rs 2.23 crore and his family’s wealth was as Rs 4.78 crore.

The rise in his wealth as a minister shows that the same has been generated by “using illegal means and taking undue advantage as a minister”, adds the PIL.

The petitioners had in May 2012 made a representation to the state, seeking action against the Gavits. As there was no response, a PIL was filed.