Mumbai: The Bombay High Court permitted Tuesday actor Kangana Ranaut to add Shiv Sena’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut as a party in her plea against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The plea has been filed over Kangana Ranaut’s demolition of a part of her bungalow here.
A bench of Justices SJ Kathawalla and RI Chagla also allowed Ranaut to add BMC’s officer Bhagyavant Late as a party to let him respond to any personal allegations that the actress makes against him.
Ranaut filed a plea in the high court September 9, seeking that the court declare the demolition of a part of her bungalow in Pali Hill area here by the BMC as illegal. She subsequently amended her plea to demand rupees two crore as damages from the civic body and its officials for the demolition.
While hearing her amended plea on Tuesday, the high court noted that Ranaut’s counsel, senior advocate Birendra Saraf, had submitted a DVD containing a speech in which Sena leader Raut allegedly made a comment threatening the actress.
Justice Kathawalla pointed out that if the actress was going to rely on the DVD, then Raut will have to be given a chance to respond.
“What if he (Raut) says that he has not made these statements or that this DVD is fabricated? You have to give him an opportunity to respond,” the bench said.
Saraf then said he also wanted to make Bhagyavant Late a party in the plea as the civic official had issued all communications related to the illegal construction notice and demolition.
The BMC demolished September 9 a part of Ranaut’s bungalow. It alleged she had made illegal structural changes and repairs to the structure breaching the civic body’s sanction plan.
The bench led by Justice Kathawalla on the same day stayed the demolition, saying it appeared to be malafide.