BMC sent builder OC notice in 2013
MUMBAI: In May 2013, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had sent a notice to the developer of Crystal Tower and its architect to get the occupation certificate (OC) without which tenants cannot occupy the building, the police told the Bhoiwada court on Monday. The developer, Razak Ismail Supariwala, has been remanded in police custody till Wednesday.
Inspector Sushilkumar Gaikwad told Bhoiwada metropolitan magistrate P Deshmane that Supariwala has not provided any documents pertaining to his firm, Sapna Developers, and is not cooperating with the probe. “The statements of the electric, fire and lift contractor is yet to be recorded and the accused is not providing details. We have written to BMC to procure documents,” Gaikwad told the court.
Advocate Shailesh Dhepe, appearing for Supariwala, argued, “We had received a no-objection certificate (NOC) from BMC in July 2004. In November 2006, after the building was redeveloped, BMC had sent a letter asking the developer to restrict the building to 16 floors when the plan was for 17. The developer complied.” Dhepe submitted letters of reminders written to BMC, dated May 2013 and February 2018, about procuring the OC. Despite the numerous exchanges between BMC and the developer, the latter failed to get the OC. The police said the fire brigade received a call about the fire at 16-storey Crystal Tower around 8.32 am on August 22. The fire started in the duct area and enveloped the 12th floor. “The in-built fire protection system wasn’t working. The electric duct, which should have been sealed, was left open and it aided the fire,” said the public prosecutor. The police have also sent summons to the architect, who has not made himself available for his statement. The fire claimed four lives.
Several tenants from Crystal Tower were present outside the court on Monday. Farid Ahmed Qureshi, 68, who owns a shop in the tower, said, “Repair work was being carried out at flat number 1203 and due to a slab collapse, the wiring was exposed. I noticed the repair work catching fire.”his statement is yet to be recorded.