- (1.) The order dated 25.10.2013 passed in S.B. Civil Writ Petition No.1860/2013, restraining the respondents therein from furthering the acquisition proceedings involved, is the subject matter of challenge in the instant appeal.
(2.) We have heard Mr. K.K. Sharma, the learned Senior Counsel assisted by Mr. Anuroop Singhi, Mr. Saurabh Jain, Mr. Jatin Sharma & Mr. Kushagra Sharma, Advocates for the appellant and Mr. R.N. Mathur, the learned Senior Counsel assisted by Ms Poorvi Mathur, Advocate for the respondent No.1, Mr. R.D. Rastogi, the learned counsel for the respondent Nos.6 & 7 and Mr. S.S. Raghav, the learned counsel for the respondent No.8 i.e. Union of India.
(3.) The skeletal facts, necessary to be recorded to facilitate the instant adjudication, are that the aforementioned writ proceeding was instituted in the form of a public interest litigation by the respondent Nos.1 to 5 herein impleading, amongst others, the present appellant as respondent No.5 therein. The State-respondents were arrayed as respondent Nos.1 and 2. The writ-petitioners introduced themselves to be associations of public spirited registered societies and local residents and in essence, impeached the validity of allotment of mining leases to the appellant and other private respondents impleaded by the State functionaries on extraneous considerations resulting in illegal and wanton dissipation of the mineral wealth of the State in a clandestine manner for private commercial use at a staggering loss of Rs.3,40,000 crores to the Government exchequer.;