Lavasa case: Ajit Gulabchand skips appearance

Avoiding appearing in person before the city court, Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar’s close confidant Vitthal Maniar, Ajit Gulabchand (Hindustan Construction Company chairman) and other seven suspects on Monday deputed their lawyers to remain present before the court in connection with the violation of environment norms by the Lavasa Lake City.

In order to comply with the order of the court of chief judicial magistrate NT Ghadge, to remain present before the court till January 31, promoters of Lavasa-Gulabchand, Maniar and members of board of directors, Anuradha Desai, Gautam Thapar and Shalaka Gulabchand Dhawan appeared before the court through their lawyers to present their case before the court.

They also sought exemption from the court for appearing in person on Monday.

Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) had filed a private criminal complaint against Lavasa Corporation on November 4 last year for violation of Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986, following which, the court issued summons to chairman of Lavasa Corporation Ltd, Gulabchand, City Corporation Ltd managing director, Aniruddha Deshpande and prominent directors and businessmen associated with the Lavasa Lake City project in Mulshi taluka in November last year.

However, Deshpande and other four were not present before the court as the summons returned unserved to them. Also SK Dharmadhikari sought interim stay on the lower court order. The court deferred the case till March 17.