Appearing for the Centre on Monday, GR Sharma told the bench of Justice Shantanu Kemkar and Justice Makarand Karnik that no “reason” had been provided to ban Sanatan Sanstha. He said, “We have written to the state government several times asking for an explanation, but they couldn’t offer any evidence or reason for imposing a ban on the organisation or its allied wings.”

As JD Khairnar, the counsel for the petitioner, was not present in the court, the hearing has been adjourned to next week. If evidence is provided, the Centre will have to send the proposal to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal, which will take a call on banning the organization.

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Terrorist outfit
In April 2011, the state government — then run by Congress and NCP — had written to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs about Sanatan Sanstha’s alleged involvement in the Malegaon blasts of 2006 and 2008 and the Goa blast in 2009.

The Chief Secretary of State had addressed the letter to the Centre after Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad wrote to him asking for the organisation to be declared a terrorist outfit under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Accordingly, Rokade filed the Public Interest Litigation.