Mumbai: Actor Kangana Ranaut has amended her petition before the Bombay High Court. She has sought a compensation of Rs 2 crore from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for ‘illegal’ demolition at her bungalow. Kangana Ranaut had moved the Bombay High Court when the BMC demolished what it termed as illegal alterations at the ‘Queen’ actor’s bungalow at Pali Hill. The demolition work was carried out September 9.
A division bench led by Justice SJ Kathawalla had stayed the demolition. It had said that the civic body’s actions seemed ‘malafide’ (having dubious intentions).
In her amended plea, Ranaut alleged that the BMC’s decision to demolish her property was a direct consequence of her comments against the Maharashtra government. Recently she has been ‘at loggerheads with the Government of Maharashtra regarding her views over the handling of certain issues which impact the public in general,” it added.
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“The expression used by her has displeased certain quarters. It has caused angst in certain quarters particularly a political party. This party is a part of the government in Maharashtra,” Ranaut’s amended petition said.
“Various threats have been given to the petitioner, including threats of harm if she entered Mumbai. So the petitioner was compelled to seek the assistance/security and was given protection by the Central Government in nature Y-plus category of CRPF security and the petitioner could only come to Mumbai under protection,” it said.
The ‘same party’ is also the ruling party in the BMC, the petition said, without naming the Shiv Sena.
The petition also contended that the actor had sought the BMC’s permission to carry out structural repairs at her bungalow. The same was granted in 2018.
The BMC sent her a demolition notice September 7 and gave her just 24 hours to respond, the petition said. It pointed out that Kangana responded on time. However, the BMCD was quick to reject her reply and on the very next day, BMC and police officers were ‘already present outside the bungalow’.
Photos of the day showed that the BMC was ready with demolition equipment early in the morning, which proves that the civic body had malafide intentions and ulterior motives to demolish the bungalow, the petition claimed.
The plea urged the court to declare the BMC’s action as illegal and direct the civic body and its ‘concerned officials’ to pay her Rs 2 crore in damages.
The court is slated to hear the matter September 22.