TEMPTOS

The Bombay High Court, on Thursday, asked Sena member, Sitaram Dalvi, to ask the party to pay for damaging the hotel. Dalvi is facing proceedings for recovery of Rs 7.8 lakh for damaging hotel property during protests over the sacking of some employees. Dalvi had already deposited Rs 2 lakh before moving court.

“Go to your party chief and ask him to come out with the balance amount from party funds,” said a division bench of Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice Mridula Bhatkar. “Prima facie it has been found that Shiv Sena was responsible for the damages and not this person [Dalvi].” Dalvi has been given a day to get back to the court with a response.

Political parties have been getting away with vandalism. The state government had recently told the court that it did not wish to take action against senior party leaders, such as Thackeray, for political vandalism. Citizen activists hope if the Sena is made to pay to the hotel, it will send a strong message to other parties.

Dalvi moved the HC after the suburban collector issued him a notice in October 2009 to pay Rs. 7.8 lakh as compensation. Dalvi argued that though the police booked 42 persons in the offence, he was singled out when proceedings for recovery of damages were initiated.
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