SC dismisses L&T's plea challenging tender of Sharavathi power project in Karnataka
New Delhi, Apr 30: The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea by engineering and construction major Larsen & Toubro Ltd challenging the short-term tender floated for the construction of the Rs 8,000-crore Sharavathi pumped storage power project in Karnataka.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra upheld the April 25 order of the Karnataka High Court that had also declined the petition by L&T against the tender by Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL).
"We are not inclined to entertain the Special Leave Petition under Article 136 of the Constitution of India. The Special Leave Petition is accordingly dismissed," the bench said.
The engineering and construction major had said in its appeal that the tender process for the project had been run in an arbitrary, perverse and unreasonable manner.
In its order, the high court had said, "Electro-mechanical and hydro-mechanical works are admittedly an integral part of the project and the petitioner, being only a civil contractor, was not eligible to perform the work unless it could find association of a specialised agency.
"The submission that the appellant was unable to enter into a contract with any of such agencies finds factual justification, for the petitioner could not show that it had an expert agency as a partner to enter into the memorandum of understanding.”
Infrastructure firm Megha Engineering and Infrastructure (MEIL) on Monday said it has bagged the 2,000-megawatt project.
The Sharavathi river is a vital source of hydroelectric power in Karnataka, a company statement said, adding that with a planned total power generation capacity of 2000 MW, it is the country’s largest pump storage power generation unit.
Karnataka aims to solve the power crisis in the state through this big budget project. The cost of the project is over Rs 8,000 crore, it stated.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Court extends interim anticipatory bail granted to HD Revanna till May 20
Bengaluru, May 17: A court here on Friday extended the interim anticipatory bail granted to JD(S) MLA and former Karnataka Minister H D Revanna in a sexual harassment case till May 20, while reserving orders on his anticipatory bail plea till then.
The 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court (ACMM) had earlier heard the matter on Thursday, and had given the 66-year-old interim relief till today.
The sexual harassment case registered against Revanna and his son and MP Prajwal Revanna at Holenarsipur town police station on April 28 pertains to alleged sexual harassment of a 47-year-old house help.
Prajwal reportedly left for Germany on April 27 and is still at large.
The complainant had claimed that the father and son had sexually harassed her at the MLA's residence.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) which is probing the alleged sexual abuse charges against Prajwal and related cases, had sought custody of the former Minister.
ALSO READ: Efforts on to bring Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna back to India: Home Minister
Revanna's advocates sought anticipatory bail in the case.
SIT had sent two notices to Revanna, son of JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, and Prajwal to appear before them for questioning in the case but both of them skipped it.
On Thursday, Revanna applied for anticipatory bail and SIT objected to this and sought either SIT or judicial custody. The court, after hearing both sides, decided to hear the matter again on Friday and till then gave relief to Revanna.
The court resumed the hearing today and, after hearing both sides, reserved order on the bail plea for Monday, and extended interim bail till then.
A Special Court for Elected Representatives on Monday granted bail to Revanna in connection with a kidnap case.
He was arrested by SIT on May 4 in an alleged case of abduction of a woman, linked to the allegations of sexual abuse of women by Prajwal.
The 33-year-old Prajwal is facing charges of multiple instances of sexually abusing women. The scandal has raised a political storm with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) engaged in a slugfest.
An Interpol Blue Corner Notice has been issued against Prajwal in an effort to bring him back.
He was BJP-JD(S) alliance's joint candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, which went to polls on April 26.
