Demolition of Kangana Ranaut’s bungalow actuated by malafide: HC

In a strongly worded judgment, the Bombay high court on Friday struck down the September 9 order passed by a ward officer of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to demolish a part of actor Kangana Ranaut’s bungalow at Pali Hill in Bandra west. The division bench of justice SJ Kathawalla and justice Riyaz Chagla held that the demolition of a part of actor Kangana Rananut's office at her bungalow in Mumbai by the city's civic body "is nothing but malice in law", The bench concluded that the civic action was a clear case of legal malice and was initiated after Ranaut’s infamous tweets, comparing Mumbai with Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

In this regard, the bench said irresponsible statements made by an individual should be ignored, howsoever distasteful those may be, and no action can be taken against such individual by resorting to colourable exercise of power and causing injury to that individual or his property by the State or any of its instrumentalities. The high court has appointed valuer Shetgiri and Associates to assess the damage caused by BMC while demolishing part of Ranaut’s bungalow and asked them to submit their report in three months.