Bombay HC reserves order on Kangan’s plea against the demolition of property

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Monday reserved its order on a plea filed by Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut against the demolition of her property in Bandra by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

The High Court concluded the hearing and reserved its order after it was informed that all the parties in the matter have submitted their written submissions. All parties concerned were, during the last hearing, asked to file their written submissions in the matter.

The corporation had earlier filed an affidavit in the High Court stating that Ranaut has unlawfully made substantial alterations and additions to the property, contrary to the sanctioned building plan, and termed her allegations against it as “baseless”.

“The petitioner has unlawfully made substantial alterations and additions to the property, contrary to the sanctioned building plan… Even in the present writ petition, the petitioner has not disputed carrying out the said unlawful alterations and additions. In fact, having regard to the work carried out and the contents of the sanctioned plan, there is no basis for the petitioner to dispute the unlawful work carried on,” read the earlier affidavit.

The High Court had last month stayed the demolition drive being undertaken by the BMC at Ranaut’s property. Ranaut, through her lawyer Rizwan Siddiqui, had moved the High Court against the demolition at her office.

The BMC had earlier started demolishing parts of her office, which is situated in Mumbai’s Pali Hills, for what it claimed were unauthorised alterations.

The demolition had come at a time when Ranaut was engaged in a bitter war of words with Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut after her remarks that she feels unsafe in Mumbai and has no trust in the Mumbai Police after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.