Show-cause notice to state, 7 parsi body trustees

Objecting to the recent instructions of the state law and judiciary department seeking a detailed report from the charity commissioner on the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) case, petitioner Percy Patel has filed a contempt notice against the department, reports Naresh Kamath.

Objecting to the recent instructions of the state law and judiciary department seeking a detailed report from the charity commissioner on the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) case, petitioner Percy Patel has filed a contempt notice against the department.

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The charity commissioner had issued show-cause notice to seven BPP trustees asking why they should not be dismissed for obstructing the special audit ordered by the commissioner.

Patel has filed a similar notice against the seven trustees for disobeying the order of the charity commissioner.

State Minister for Law and Judiciary Hasan Mushrif had on September 9 asked for a detailed report on the show-cause notice issued to the

BPP trustees which Patel had termed an attempt to interfere with the functioning of the

judiciary.

“The minister has no power to intervene as the charity commissioner is a judicial officer and any appeal can only be made in the high court,” said Patel.

He also accused Mushrif of violation of the code of conduct. “The minister is trying to influence voters of the Zoroastrian community by this act,” said Patel.

BPP Chairman Dinshaw Mehta termed the notice “an act of harassment”.

“We are not opposed to the special audit but just the fee of Rs 1.2 crore which we cannot afford. Our legal team will reply to this notice,” said Mehta.