Sonu Sood moves court against BMC's illegal construction notice
What's the story
Actor Sonu Sood has approached the Bombay High Court challenging the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) notice over alleged illegal construction against him. As per the BMC, the actor has carried out unauthorized structural changes to a residential building located in the city's Juhu area. A single bench of Justice Prithviraj Chavan will hear the petition today. Here are more details on this.
Context
What was the case filed by the BMC against Sood?
Last week, the civic body had filed a complaint against the actor at the Juhu Police station for allegedly carrying out illegal changes at his residence in Juhu. The complaint sought an FIR against Sood for allegedly converting the six-storey Shakti Sagar building into a hotel without the due permission from the authorities. However, the police is yet to register FIR in the matter.
Response
Sood denies any 'illegal or unauthorized' construction
In the petition filed by the actor through advocate Amogh Singh, he has claimed that no "illegal or unauthorized" construction has been carried out by him. His lawyer stated, "The petitioner (Sood) has not made any changes in the building that warrant permission from the BMC. Only those changes that are allowed under the MRTP Act have been done (sic)."
Information
BMC had last year issued a notice to Sood
Last year, the civic body had issued a notice under the Section 53 (1) of the Monopolistic and Restrictive Trade Practices Act against Sood, granting him a month's time to change the said property into its original form or get the approval for the changes.
Case
Sood called BMC's notice a 'blackmailing tactic'
In his plea, Sood has sought interim relief restraining the civic body from taking coercive action against him He claimed that BMC's notice is "nothing but blackmailing tactics" and alleged that the notice was issued with "malafide intent". "We are seeking that the court quashes the notice issued by the BMC and provides interim relief to the petitioner," Sood's lawyer has said.
Similar incident
Actor Kangana Ranaut is also facing similar charges
On a related note, actor Kangana Ranaut's office in Mumbai was last year demolished by the BMC citing "illegal constructions." The actor then approached the Bombay High Court, after which the court quashed the demolition notice issued by the civic body. Meanwhile, Ranaut is also facing another legal case for "violating" the construction plan by merging three of her flats in Mumbai.