HC extends relief to Kangana Ranaut
MUMBAI:
In a relief for actor Kangana Ranaut, the Bombay high court (HC) has extended the interim protection against coercive steps by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) pertaining to the alleged irregularities at her residence in Khar till February 5. The actor had approached HC after the Dindoshi civil court dismissed her plea against a 2018 BMC notice, which asked her to apply for regularising the irregularities or face demolition proceedings. On Tuesday, the actor’s counsel sought time to seek instructions from the actor as to whether she wanted to apply for regularisation of the structure individually.
A bench of justice Prithviraj Chavan, while hearing the interim application filed by Ranaut, in the appeal filed by her against the Dindoshi court order, was informed by senior advocate Dr Birendra Saraf that the act of the BMC was a vendetta against the actor, and even if she wanted to apply for regularisation she would need the consent of all other members of the building.
Ranaut had been issued a notice by the BMC in 2018, asking her to demolish the illegal alterations she had made in the three flats she owned in the building on the junction of 16th and 18th road at Khar (West). The actor had allegedly altered the flats to make them into one unit which was not as per the sanctioned plans with the civic corporation.
Ranaut had moved the Dindoshi court in January 2019, challenging the notice wherein the court had asked both the actor and the BMC to maintain a status quo. In December 2020, the civil court had dismissed the plea but allowed the actor six weeks to approach the HC and also granted her interim protection against coercive action till she applied in the HC.
On Tuesday, senior counsel Aspi Chinoy for BMC submitted that Ranaut had approached the court three years after being issued the demolition notice and only if the court condoned the delay her application could be heard. After hearing the submissions, the bench said, “In the interest of justice, liberty granted to Saraf to seek instructions from Ranaut as to whether a single applicant will apply for regularisation of the structure,” and continued the operation of the civil court order till February 5.