Pune, 16 July 2025: In a significant development, the Bombay High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Rajesh Deepchand Rochiramani against the redevelopment project of Shantivan Society in Pimpri.
The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep V. Marne, not only rejected the PIL but also set aside the interim stay on the project. The Court imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh on Rochiramani, citing misuse of judicial proceedings and filing of baseless allegations intended to obstruct the project.
The judgment has brought much-needed relief to 40 families whose housing futures had been uncertain due to the four-month stay on redevelopment. The Court found that the petitioner had misused the legal process for personal motives and had intentionally attempted to harass the developer, M/s Saibaba Sales Pvt. Ltd. The Court also observed that Rochiramani had made unverified claims about the project being in a flood-prone zone without conducting any actual study.
Representing the developers, senior advocate Simil Purohit, along with advocates Bhushan Deshmukh and Mayank Bagla, presented evidence proving that the redevelopment project was fully compliant with all municipal regulations and had obtained necessary permissions. The petitioner had earlier approached government agencies and the High Court, claiming that construction permissions were granted illegally in a flood-risk area, but the court found no merit in those claims.
The stay had left 40 families in a state of limbo, with their homes caught in prolonged legal proceedings. The High Court’s ruling has now cleared the way for the redevelopment to resume, bringing emotional and mental relief to both the affected residents and the developer. The ruling also reaffirms judicial intolerance for baseless litigation that hinders legitimate development.
According to advocate Mayank Bagla, the High Court's judgment made it clear that the petition was a deliberate misuse of public interest litigation and an attempt to pressure and extort. City Engineer Makarand Nikam of Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation stated that based on the earlier court orders, a stay had been imposed on the project, but now that it has been lifted, projects even in sensitive zones can move forward as long as they comply with regulations.
