Kapil Sharma's whiny tweet to the PM about BMC corruption leads to an expose of his own blatant flouting of the law
Yogesh Naik and Munish Pandey (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 13, 2016)

The city administration on Monday filed a police complaint against Kapil Sharma for carrying out unauthorised alterations at his Oshiwara apartment, even as state officials concluded that he had illegally extended his Versova bungalow, destroying mangroves.

The developments were followed by a legal notice from a corporator who threatened to sue Sharma for defamation if he didn't reveal the name of a BMC officer who allegedly sought a bribe to regularise Sharma's Andheri office — again embroiled in a construction controversy.

It's all getting beyond a joke for the comedian whose sarcastic tweets on corruption in the BMC last week have brought his own apparent disregard for rules under scrutiny.

The Oshiwara police said they would call him for questioning over the BMC's complaint that alleges illegal alterations at his ninth-floor apartment in DLH Enclave on New Link Road. The complaint was filed by BMC engineer Abhay Dinkar Jagtap under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, and it also names actor Irrfan Khan, who owns a flat in the same complex.

"The case has been registered by BMC officials who have found that the two Bollywood personalities violated the MRTP Act," Satya Narayan Chaudhary, deputy police commissioner (Zone 9), told Mirror.

But there was some confusion over whether Sharma was still owned the ninth-floor flat. The developer claimed Sharma had sold the property six months ago. But BMC officials said unauthorised additions were made when Sharma was still the owner.

Earlier on Monday, officials from the mangrove protection cell and the state revenue department conducted a survey of plots 70 and 71 along Versova Creek, where Sharma and many others own bungalows and rowhouses. They concluded that the comedian and other owners had illegally extended their gardens and compounds, dumped debris and destroyed mangroves.

The inspection came after Mirror reported that activists had submitted photographic evidence of encroachment in the mangrove area to the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority.

"Most bungalow owners filled the area behind their houses with debris, extended the compounds and killed mangroves. We have reviewed previous and current satellite imagery and taken GPS readings," said Makarand Ghodke, assistant conservator of forest, mangrove protection cell.

"This is mangrove patch, but not a forest reserve otherwise we would have taken action earlier. But the joint survey with the revenue department has now confirmed that mangroves were destroyed and there is a clear violation of the Environment Protection Act."

Ghodke has asked Prashant Deshmukh, range forest officer of western suburbs, to issue a notice to Sharma and other property owners in the area.

Forest guard S J Salve, who measured the extended portion of Sharma's bungalow, said the compound had been broadened by over 10 metres. Other bungalow owners had reclaimed up to 15 metres of the mangrove area. "No construction can be done within 50 metres of mangroves," another official said.

Naib tahsildar Shivaji Chaure said a report had been sent to the collector, who will decide when a first information report should be filed against the owners.

A team of forest officers had visited the area last week, but returned saying no mangroves had been damaged. But after Godfrey Pimenta of the Watchdog Foundation shared images showing mangrove destruction, chief conservator of forest (mangrove protection cell) N Vasudevan asked Ghodke to conduct a fresh inspection.

Meanwhile, political parties ramped up pressure on Sharma over his allegation of corruption in the BMC. The MNS filed a police complaint against him for being party to a crime and not reporting it, while Samajwadi corporator Rais Shaikh sent a legal notice to the comedian seeking the name of the BMC officer who allegedly demanded a bribe. "If he is ready to name the corrupt official, he will have our full support. But he has not done that yet. That is why we have been forced to take this route," Shaikh said.

BJP leader Ram Kadam tried to lead a morcha to Sharma's residence, but was stopped by the Oshiwara police. "Why hasn't he revealed the name of the officer who demanded a bribe?" Kadam asked.

City Congress president Sanjay Nirupam wrote to Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao demanding an inquiry into Sharma's bribery claim.