A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is not maintainable if it is based solely on unverified viral videos or social media information, and the court must rigorously verify the credentials and bona fides of the petitioner to prevent the abuse of the judicial process.

ORAL JUDGMENT

(PER : HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MRS. JUSTICE SUNITA AGARWAL)

1. The present petition has been filed by a resident of the city of Ahmedabad, who claims to be a law-abiding citizen, an Indian national, social worker and leader of Marwadi Luhar Community. As regards the credentials of the petitioner, in the writ petition, it is stated that the petitioner is engaged in organizing community marriages, distribution of books and notebooks to the poor children of his society and other charitable works.

2. The assertions in the writ petition are that on 04.02.2026, a viral video was received on the whatsapp of the petitioner, which contains allegations that the demolition work of the building of Gujarat College is being done without any tender proceedings, and the scrap of that building is being taken away by someone with the collusion of government officers and Principal of the College.

3. On the next date itself, i.e. on 05.02.2026, the petitioner himself visited the Gujarat College and verified the details of the video, by clicking some pictures as well as selfies at the site. The photographs of the site in question, annexed as Annexure-A Colly to the writ petition, are sought to be pressed into service by the learned counsel for the petitioner to submit that the petitioner has verified the factum of illegal demolition on his own by personally visiting the site of the building inside the Gujarat College campus.

4. It is noteworthy that the manner in which the petitioner has verified the fact of the demolition being carried out without any tender proceedings, has not been disclosed in the writ petition. As per own contention of the petitioner, the basis of filing of the present petition is a viral video circulated on the whatsapp.

5. The assertions in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of the writ petition are cryptic, wherein the statement has been made that the notice on the State of Gujarat be served through the Secretary, Roads and Buildings Department, who is necessary

and proper party to restrain the wrongdoers from continuing the illegal sand mining. This statement in para-1 at internal page-5 of the paper book, while giving description of the respondent in the writ petition, itself makes it clear that the present petition is a copy-paste of some other writ petition. The contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner, however, is that the words “illegal sand mining” are typing mistake.

6. Further the statement in sub-para (2) at page-5 of the paper book are that the Executive Engineer, Road & Building Department, having awarded the alleged contract of demolition of the chemistry building is also necessary and proper party. It is further stated that the present petition is being filed in the public interest for restraining the wrongdoers for having illegally granted the contract of demolition of a Government building without floating any tender. It is, however, not disclosed as to what is the basis of the statement of the petitioner on oath that the work of demolition of a Government building is being carried out by the Executive Engineer, Roads and Buildings Department, by awarding contract without floating any tender. The basis of all the statements made in the writ petition, as admitted, in various paragraphs of the writ petition, is only the viral video circulated on whatsapp.

7. On a query made by the Court as to how the said statements could be verified, and how the genuineness of the video could be ascertained, which is the sole basis of filing the

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