The Bombay High Court on Monday reserved judgment in a plea filed by actor Kangana Ranaut after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolished portions of her bungalow in Bandra.
A Division Bench of justices S.J. Kathawalla and R.I. Chagla on September 9 stayed the process of the demolition. Soon thereafter, affidavits and affidavits in reply were filed by the actor and the civic body. The 33-year-old actor also amended her petition and sought compensation of ₹2 crore from the BMC.
On September 22, the court impleaded Shiv Sena’s chief spokesperson and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut as a respondent in the petition. This was done after Ms. Ranaut’s advocate Birendra Saraf submitted a DVD containing Mr. Raut’s statements against the actor, which she alleged led to the demolition.
Mr. Saraf had argued, “Ms. Ranaut is at loggerheads with the Maharashtra government over certain issues. She has displeased a party in power with her open views. She had to face life threats and had to seek special protection from the Centre. Sanjay Raut has made derogatory statements against Kangana in TV channels. He said that Kangana needs to be taught a lesson. On the same day when Raut made remarks, an officer from the BMC visited and entered the property without prior notice. The timing of the visit assumes relevance.”
On September 28, the Bench had observed, “There is something absolutely fishy here in the manner in which portions of the bungalow were demolished.”
The BMC has maintained that Ms. Ranaut carried out substantial work of alterations and additions at the building.
