HC asks BMC to decide on application of Rane's firm seeking regularisation of alterations to his bungalow

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to hear and decide an application filed by a company owned by Union Minister Narayan Rane seeking to regularise the alleged illegal alterations made in his bungalow in suburban JuhuA division bench of Justices Amjad Sayed and Abhay Ahuja said once a decision is taken by the civic body in case of any adverse order no coercive or punitive action shall be taken for a period of three weeks thereafterThe court disposed of the petition filed by Kaalka Real Estate which owns the bungalow named Aadish Rane is a shareholder in the company along with his family members and resides in the houseThe petition had challenged notices issued by the BMC to the company Rane and his family against alleged unauthorised alterations made in the bungalowThe petition also sought quashing of the BMC notices of February 25 March 4 and March 16 2022 and the orders passed by a designated officer of the civic body terming them as iquestperverse illegal and in violation of his fundamental rightsiquestSenior counsel Milind Sathe appearing for the petitioner company argued on Tuesday that the BMC was not following the law in the present case and claimed there was no violationThe said bungalow was granted an Occupation Certificate by the BMC in January 2013 It has been occupied since then Now suddenly in 2022 all this action has been taken Sathe saidBMCs counsel Aspi Chinoy alleged that there have been several illegal alterations in the bungalowThe court said if the regularisation application is filed then it should be heard and decidedThe Shiv Senacontrolled BMC had issued notices to Rane and the company directing them to remove the alterations made to the bungalowThe civic body said if the alterations are not removed it would be compelled to demolish the same and recover charges from the ownerThe first notice was sent on February 25 in the name of the ownersoccupiers Rane and family to show cause how the alleged unauthorised additions changes in usage of the premises were not in contravention to the approved plans Narayan Ranes wife Neelam Rane and son Nilesh Rane responded to the notice alleging the malafide intention The reply stated that the notice had been issued after nine years of completion of the buildingFollowing this they were called for a hearing before a BMC officerMeanwhile a second notice was issued on March 4 Simultaneously the company also made an application for retention of portions of the premises alleged to be in contravention by making payment of Rs 8790 as stipulated by the BMCThe petition said that in the application the company had clarified there was no contravention of any regulation and the entire premise was within the permissible FSI floor space index limitDespite this the BMCs designated officer passed an order based on the first notice directing the alleged unauthorised work to be removed from the premises within 15 daysThereafter the second scheduled hearing also took place and the second identical order was passedAggrieved by the issuance of notices and orders passed by the BMC the company filed the present petition before the HCThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever