Bombay High Court Refuses to Quash FIR Against Former AIMIM MLA Over ‘Tipu Sultan Chowk’ Case

The Bombay High Court has refused to quash an FIR against AIMIM leader and former MLA Farukh Shah, accused of illegally constructing and naming a public square in Dhule as 'Tipu Sultan Chowk' without requisite permissions.

The Court emphasised that an MLA cannot independently name public spaces without following the procedures outlined under the Maharashtra Municipalities and Corporations Acts.

The court noted that Shah’s simultaneous defence of the naming and his claim of innocence were contradictory.

The court highlighted prima facie evidence and ongoing investigation, ruling that this case was not suitable for quashing under Section 482 CrPC. The bench also ordered an inquiry into Shah’s possession of an unofficial chargesheet document.