The State government told the Bombay High Court on Thursday that it will start demolishing fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi’s illegal bungalow at Alibaug.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice M.S. Karnik was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Sambhuraje Yuvakranti of Akhil Bhartiya Maratha Seva Sangh in 2009. The petition pointed out the failure of the State government and the Centre in taking action against illegal bungalows built in the coastal regulation zone.
An affidavit filed by Vijay Suryavanshi, Raigad Collector, said, “Mr. Modi’s bungalow was demolished on December 5 and demolition notices were issued to 58 other bungalows on December 4. The owners of 61 illegal properties managed to get stay orders on the demolition from local civil courts.”
Additional government pleader P.P. Kakade said, “An order was passed by the then collector in 2011, which was reviewed by the current collector. An order was thereafter passed to demolish the said illegal bungalow.”
The court said an application needs to be made to vacate the stay orders or the court would pass an order. The Bench then adjourned the matter to December 20.
In the last hearing, Mr. Suryavanshi had filed an affidavit that said it was found that Mr. Modi’s bungalow had not violated any norms. He said that the bungalow was constructed before 1986, when the coastal regulation zone norms were ratified for Raigad. Mr. Suryavanshi also said that it could not take any action against the property as it had been attached by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
