The Bombay high court has granted relief to actress Kangana Ranaut, who had filed a petition challenging the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's demolition of her property on Pali Hill in Bandra, Mumbai, in September.
The court said Ranaut may take steps to make her property habitable and regularize it while directing that a valuer be appointed to determine the compensation payable to her for the damage to her property.
[Breaking] "Nothing but malice in law": Bombay High Court quashes BMC demolition notice to Kangana Ranaut@KanganaTeam #KanganaRanaut @rautsanjay61 @mybmc @CMOMaharashtra #BombayHighCourt
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) November 27, 2020
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"MCGM [Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai] has proceeded on wrongful grounds, against the rights of the citizens. It is nothing but malice in law," a division bench of justice SJ Kathawalla and justice RI Chagla said.
"Even if one assumes that the malice does not amount to personal bias and may call for a trial, it does amount to legal malice. The manner in which the action was carried out leaves no doubt that not using section 354 was more sinister and preventing her from taking a recourse," the bench observed.
The court, however, noted that the petitioner should show restraint in airing her opinions on the government. Ranaut has been embroiled in an ugly spat with the Mumbai police and the Maharashtra government over her criticism of the investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide.
Welcoming the court's decision, Ranaut tweeted, "When individual stands against the government and wins, it's not the victory of the individual but it's the victory of the democracy. Thank you everyone who gave me courage and thanks to those who laughed at my broken dreams. It's only cause you play a villain so I can be a hero (sic)."
On 8 September, the BMC had served Ranaut a stop-work notice listing out all the 'unauthorized alterations' in her property and giving her 24 hours to reply.
On 9 September, the civic body started the process of demolition after which the Bombay high court issued a stay order following a petition by the actress.