The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted interim protection from coercive steps for three weeks to BJP MLC Prasad Lad in connection with the FIR registered by Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police pertaining to a BMC contract.
The court, however, clarified that if it is revealed from the state government’s response that Lad was duly intimated about the crime between 2014, when the FIR was registered, and December 21, 2020, when EOW notice was issued, HC may consider recalling the order of granting interim relief in favour of the petitioner.
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On the complaint of Bimal Agarwal, an FIR has been registered against BVG Crystal Joint Venture and others. The EOW had issued a notice to Lad as a partner of M/s BVG Crystal Joint Venture.
The HC was hearing Lad’s plea seeking quashing of FIR, argued by advocate Rizwan Merchant, who said that Lad, along with an official of BVG group, had responded to a tender notice issued by BMC as an offer of joint venture. He added that as Lad is active in political life, some “disgruntled element” is after him to block his political career and is using an old offence as a tool.