M A I N   N E W S

Suits filed against 3 former PMs
Recovery of IAF plane dues

NEW DELHI, Feb 12 — The government has filed civil suits against former Prime Ministers Chandra Shekhar, P.V. Narasimha Rao and H.D. Deve Gowda for the recovery of Rs 22.18 crore, including interest, for using defence aircraft for non-official purposes when they were in office, the Delhi High Court was informed today.

Civil suits for the recovery of the money has already been filed in the high court by the Air Headquarters against the three former Premiers, government counsel informed a Division Bench comprising Mr Justice Arun Kumar and Mr Justice A.K. Sikri.

The Air Headquarters in its affidavit said a suit for the recovery of over Rs 12.47 crore against Mr Chandra Shekhar was filed in October and those against Mr Rao for over Rs 8.93 crore and Mr Gowda for Rs 77.55 lakh were filed this month. Earlier, the government counsel had said some deficiencies were pointed out by the court registry in the suit against Mr Shekhar.

With this, the Bench disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate B.L. Wadhera, saying that “No further order is called for on the writ” after filing the suit by the government.

Though the affidavit did not specify the rate of interest to be charged from them, the amount apparently includes the same as the actual amount claimed from each of the former Prime Minister by the government earlier was much less than that mentioned in the affidavit.

The government had earlier said Mr Chandra Shekhar owed it Rs 5.91 crore, Mr Rao Rs 5.52 crore and Mr Gowda Rs 54.61 lakh for using IAF planes for non-official purposes during their tenure in office.

The Air Headquarters said with the filing of the suits against the three, it had complied with the court’s earlier direction in this regard.

As Mr Wadhera said the government should specify the rate of interest to be charged from them, the Bench said it presumed that the rate of interest would be charged as per the rules.

The government counsel said: “Whatever is legally recoverable, will be recovered from them.” — PTI