Bombay HC stays demolition drive at Kangana's house

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday stayed the demolition process initiated by the BMC for illegal construction at actor Kangana Ranaut's bungalow and sought to know why did the city civic body enter the property when the owner was not present. Justice S J Kathawalla was hearing a petition filed by Ranaut challenging the notice issued by the BMC for illegal construction at her bungalow. The petition also sought a stay on the demolition process.The court sought to know from BMC how it entered the premises and directed it to file an affidavit in response to the plea.The court has posted the matter for hearing on Thursday.

The BMC on Tuesday issued the notice to Ranaut citing illegal structural violations under section 354A of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act, 1888. The BMC had sought a reply to the notice within 24 hours, as per the Act, and warned of action. Ranaut, through her lawyer, sought seven days to reply to the notice. However, the BMC on Wednesday initiated the action saying they were not satisfied with the reply. In its notice, the BMC pointed out 14 violations at Ranaut’s Pali Hill office.The BMC, however, says Kangana Ranaut had been served notice on the "illegal structures" in 2018, long before her row with the Sena.

Former Maharashtra chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis has come out in support of actor Kangana Ranaut in her fight against the Shiva Sena. "This has never happened in the history of Maharashtra,"  said Fadnavis , referring to the action by the BMC. Hours after Mumbai's civic body BMC demolished what it called illegal alternations at her office in Pali Hills, Kangana Ranaut  hit out at Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over demolition of structures at her office.CM Uddhav Thackeray, without naming Kangana Ranaut, said "people who earned their livelihood in the city were ungrateful".

The Mumbai civic body’s demolition drive at Kangana Ranaut’s Mumbai office in the wake of recent controversial remarks by the actor gives people reasons to doubt, said Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar. “We are giving too much importance to the people making such statements. One must understand the impact of such statements on the people at large,” said Pawar.“In my view, people don’t take such statements seriously. They have an experience of years of police force and are aware how dutiful they are. We don’t need to take it seriously even if someone is saying that very often,” Pawar said.