HC gives clean chit to Dy CM R R Patil in dance bar verdict

While holding the legislation brought in to ban the dance bars as "unconstitutional," the Bombay High Court has given clean chit to Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil with respect to allegations of bribe-seeking.

Manjit Singh Sethi, one of the petitioners, had claimed that some persons close to Patil had demanded a huge bribe on behalf of the minister for lifing the ban on dance bars, and sought CBI probe into the matter.

Maharashtra govt to move SC on dance bars

R R Patil, who also holds the home portfolio, was instrumental in bringing in the amendment to Bombay Police Act that banned dance bars.

But division bench of Justices F I Rebello and Roshan Dalvi held in Wednesday's verdict that "no prima facie case is presently disclosed against the deputy chief minister," and refused to order CBI probe.

At the same time, the court held that there seems to some substance in the allegation that two persons, namely Vilas Satam and Paresh Patil - who allegedly worked for R R Patil's - were dealing with Sethi to get the law amended to suit the dance bar owners.

The court, therefore, ordered Mumbai Police Commissioner to continue the ongoing probe in this allegation and submit a report within three months.