Addressing the issue of illegal possession of petrol pump through RTI

Background

There was a partnership deed between two brothers in regard to a petrol pump. The son of one of the brothers submitted that he and the son of the other brother are the legal heirs of the partners aforesaid but the petrol pump is presently in occupation of someone else. In this respect, he filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL).

Proceedings

During the hearing before the Central Information Commission (CIC), the appellant submitted that the present occupants of the petrol pump are not their relatives and it is not known how they happened to take possession of the petrol pump in-question. The Public Information Officer (PIO) submitted that it appears to be a case of dissolution of partnership but it is not known how the petrol pump fell into the hands of other persons. PIO agreed to give inspection of the entire records relating to this petrol pump to the appellant.

View of CIC

The Central Information Commission (CIC) directed the PIO to give inspection of the complete records relating to the petrol pump and to permit the appellant to take extracts there-from observing that the appellant is the legal heir of his father and fully entitled to take inspection of the relevant records.

Citation: Mr. Radhey Shyam v. IOCL, in File No.CIC/LS/A/2011/004215