The Supreme Court on Thursday admonished Mukesh Jain, President of Ram Rakshak Shri Dara Sena, for levelling unfounded allegations against noted environmental lawyer M C Mehta, highlighting Mehta’s significant contributions to India’s environmental jurisprudence. Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan expressed their displeasure but refrained from imposing a financial penalty on Jain, considering it his first offense of this nature.
During the hearing, Jain accused Mehta of receiving funds from international agencies with connections to Naxalites, an allegation he made while contesting the court’s ban on firecrackers. Jain argued that bursting firecrackers cleans the environment and sought to overturn the existing ban.
The bench, however, was critical of Jain’s claims and his lack of substantiation when prompted. Jain’s assertion in his application that Mehta was involved in a conspiracy funded by the Ford Foundation and various international governments, and had accumulated assets worth Rs 500 crore through litigation, was met with skepticism by the court.
“We do not know M C Mehta personally, but we are aware of his extensive work in environmental litigation that has significantly shaped the legal landscape concerning pollution control in India,” the Justices remarked. They credited Mehta with landmark litigation that has protected iconic monuments like the Taj Mahal from the severe effects of pollution.
The court warned Jain against making such reckless allegations in the future, stating, “These baseless claims do not appear to be made in good faith. Normally, such behavior could warrant a financial penalty, but we will refrain this time. Let this be a notice that reckless allegations will not be tolerated.”
