The Bombay High Court on Monday remarked, “There is something absolutely fishy here” while referring to the manner in which portions of actor Kangana Ranaut’s bungalow at Bandra was demolished.
A division bench of justice SJ Kathawalla and RI Chagla had summoned the designated officer of H West Ward of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Bhagyawant Late, and questioned him about the demolition drive carried out by the corporation.
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Mr. Late said there was no report prepared on the site (bungalow).
When asked by justice SJ Kathawalla, “why didn’t you take photos to show that work was being done on the site”, the officer had no answer.
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Referring to other cases where notice was issued days prior to carrying out demolition. Justice Kathawalla said, “here [Ms Ranaut’s] notice was sent on September 8 and demolition on September 9”.
Justice Kathawalla then asked Mr. Late for the demolition register to which the latter said it was shown in the online system that demolition was carried out on September 8. To this, Justice Kathawalla said, “but you have no proof to show that the demolition was carried out on September 8. There are no photographs to show that.”
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Justice Kathawalla observed, “There is something absolutely fishy here. There are no photographs. No date of demolition. No demolition report. No date and time.”
The bench heard the matter the entire day, with senior advocate Birendra Saraf, representing the 33-year-old actor, playing an audio clip in which Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut commented on Ms. Ranaut in the first half of the day.
‘Vindictive action’
Mr. Saraf contended that the demolition was vitiated by malice as it was a vindictive action against his client for her remarks on the Maharashtra government. He went on to say that the Shiv Sena’s chief spokesperson used derogatory language against Ms. Ranaut and called her, “haraamkhor”and said she needed to be “taught a lesson.” He then said Ms. Ranaut had been at loggerheads with the government and had criticised the State on Twitter. He submitted all the tweets by Ms. Ranaut after the court directed him to do so.
Senior advocate Aspi Chinoy, for the BMC, said there had been a “stunning silence on how the renovations took place. He said half a day on, large alterations and additions were carried out by Ms Ranaut and that construction work was going on. He said, “She [Ms. Ranaut] was obligated to tell us [BMC] on September 7. You [Ms Ranaut] deliberately chose not to tell us.” He said the BMC officials saw five workmen and one supervisor on the site with gunny bags and plywoods in the site.
Advocate Pradeep Thorat will file an affidavit on behalf of Mr. Raut on Tuesday and argue at 3 p.m.
