The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Mumbai civic body to demolish illegal portions of a bungalow of Union minister Narayan Rane in Juhu within two weeks, Bar and Bench reported.
A division bench of Justices RD Dhanuka and Kamal Khata said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation cannot be allowed to consider a regularisation application filed for the second time by a company run by Rane’s family, as it would encourage unauthorised constructions.
The bench noted, “Admittedly the petitioners have constructed three times above the permissible limit. The application for proposed retention will amount to encouragement of large-scale violation within the city of Mumbai without any concern for the statutory provisions.”
The High Court also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on Kaalkaa Real Estates, the firm owned by the Rane family. The amount has to be paid to the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority within two weeks.
In June, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation rejected the company’s regularisation application, stating that there were violations in the construction, according to PTI.
In July, Kaalkaa Real Estates filed a second application, saying it was seeking to regularise a smaller portion under new provisions of the Development Control and Promotion Regulations 2034.
While the civic body was willing to consider the application, the High Court was against it as it had previously upheld the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s rejection order.
“Does the order passed by this court have no sanctity?” Justice Dhanuka had said, Live Law reported. “This will be endless otherwise. Is the corporation sitting above the High Court? This is your stand, we will have to examine it.”
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