The Bombay High Court has dismissed a writ petition seeking a direction to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register an FIR over alleged bribery involving a corporate group. The Court held that the plea lacked bona fide intent and did not serve any public purpose.
Background of the Case
The petition was filed by Jitendra Punamchand Maru under Article 226 of the Constitution, urging the Court to direct the CBI to investigate alleged bribery based on letters he had submitted in October 2025.
According to the petitioner, the allegations stemmed from developments linked to renewable energy contracts and an order passed by a United States court. He claimed that certain corporate entities engaged in unlawful practices, including offering incentives that amounted to bribes.
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However, during the hearing, it emerged that the petition was largely based on publicly available information, including a foreign court judgment and related reports.
The Bench, comprising the Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Suman Shyam, closely examined the maintainability of the petition and the intent behind it.
The Court noted that the petitioner had failed to disclose essential details about himself and did not explain the delay in approaching the Court, despite alleging events dating back several years.
Raising concerns about the nature of such petitions, the Bench observed:
“The registration of a criminal case is a very serious matter and it entails drastic consequences to the proposed accused person.”
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The Court also emphasized that it must assess whether such petitions genuinely serve public interest or are driven by hidden motives.
Referring to similar cases, the Bench remarked that petitions of this nature are sometimes filed at the instance of “failed competitors or a rival business house or a disgruntled person.”
A key issue before the Court was whether the petitioner had the legal standing (locus) to seek such relief.
The Bench found that the petitioner failed to establish his bona fides and had not approached the Court with clean hands. It also noted that the petition lacked substantive material and relied heavily on secondary sources like newspaper reports.
The Court further observed that such petitions, if entertained without scrutiny, could harm the reputation and business interests of entities without sufficient basis.
After considering the submissions and materials on record, the Court concluded that the writ petition was devoid of merit.
“This writ petition does not serve any public purpose… rather, a petition like the present one causes serious harms,” the Bench stated.
The High Court ultimately dismissed the petition, holding it to be an abuse of the process of law.
Case Details
Case Title: Jitendra Punamchand Maru vs Central Bureau of Investigation & Ors.
Case Number: Criminal Writ Petition No. 6214 of 2025
Judge: Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Suman Shyam
Decision Date: 27 March 2026
