HC says ?big fish? is anyone with influence

The Delhi High Court said on Tuesday that its earlier direction to the MCD to go after the ?big fish? indulging in illegal construction did not mean that only politicians be targeted.

The Delhi High Court said on Tuesday that its earlier direction to the MCD to go after the “big fish” indulging in illegal construction did not mean that only politicians be targeted. The court asked the MCD to include “all influential people” — including bureaucrats, builders and businessmen — in the list of big fish.

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A division bench of justices Vijender Jain and Rekha Sharma asked the MCD to give an action-taken report (ATR) on “influential” violators by February 16. “After February 16, no one should come to the court accusing the MCD of acting in a biased manner,” Justice Jain said in reaction to the ATR filed by the MCD.

The MCD said it had sent show-cause notices to 18 politicians, including Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, and was awaiting their reply.

MCD’s counsel O.P. Saxena submitted in the court that the MCD was conducting surveys to identify more properties with illegal constructions. “We are in the process of identifying more such properties but the demolitions will only take place after serving them show-cause notices,” he said.

Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports, Justice Vikramjit Sen had, on January 10, directed the MCD to take action against the “big fish”.