THE BOMBAY Excessive Court docket monitored Particular Investigation Crew (SIT) directed to analyze 4 FIRs registered in 2021 associated to a land rip-off alongside the northern shoreline of town has arrested 4 folks, together with two retired officers from the Metropolis Survey workplace.
The SIT suspects the involvement of present and former officers from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Company (BMC), Land Survey division, property brokers and contractors amongst others in allegedly tampering land file maps to indicate Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) and No Growth Zone (NDZ) as developable plots alongside the Mumbai shoreline.
The alleged fraud got here to gentle in 2016 when Vaibhav Thakur, a resident of Erangal within the Madh Island space of Mumbai, reported unlawful development on CRZ land close to his home. Whereas in 2021, 4 FIRs had been registered by the police, no motion was taken by both police or BMC.
In 2022, the difficulty was mentioned in meeting and the federal government fashioned a committee to probe the allegations that the coastal maps of Mumbai had been illegally altered to allow development within the eco-sensitive areas.
The committee report back to the federal government stated pretend paperwork had been used to indicate that some development on eco delicate plots had been there earlier than 1964 in order that they don’t seem to be demolished. Nonetheless, when no motion adopted, Thakur approached the Bombay Excessive Court docket final 12 months.
In October 2024, the excessive courtroom fashioned an SIT underneath further commissioner of police Shashi Meena to probe the FIRs registered earlier. On December 5, the SIT confirmed an interim report back to the courtroom on the motion taken by them which was to the satisfaction of the Bombay Excessive Court docket. The probe has discovered that of the 884 maps of land information, 165 to date have been discovered solid.
Sources stated throughout the interval of the probe, the SIT arrested 4 individuals within the case, together with two retired officers of town survey workplace, a contractor Narshim Puttawallu and property agent Imam Shaikh. Puttawallu is an accused in all 4 FIRs. He was arrested in one other FIR earlier this month.
An official stated they’ve issued summons to a number of officers from the BMC division, town survey workplace and villagers in Erangal amongst others.
“The petition filed within the courtroom incorporates all the main points of the allegations. We’re verifying these allegations and taking the mandatory authorized motion within the case underneath the instructions of the Bombay Excessive Court docket,” an official stated.
Uncover the Advantages of Our Subscription!
Keep knowledgeable with entry to our award-winning journalism.
Keep away from misinformation with trusted, correct reporting.
Make smarter choices with insights that matter.
Select your subscription package deal
