Kangana Ranaut to be compensated for office demolition

Actor’s property was torn down in September

In a major relief for the Kangana Ranaut, the Bombay High Court on Friday quashed the BMC's (Bombay Municipal Corporation) demolition notice and subsequent action to undertake partial demolition at her Bandra bungalow in September and ordered suitable compensation to her, reported Hindustan Times.

A division bench comprising Justices SJ Kathawalla and RI Chagla said that Ranaut can take steps to get her property regularised and make it habitable. The court directed that if the Queen star makes an application for getting her building plans approved, it would be decided within four weeks.

Reserving its order on the quantum of compensation payable to the actor, the court appointed a valuer to decide on the compensation amount. It said that the BMC proceeded on "wrongful grounds" in the case that was against the citizens' rights, malice in law and reactionary in nature. Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar said that she would comment after consulting the BMC Legal Department but declined to say whether it would challenge the High Court ruling in the Supreme Court.

The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party leaders like Kirit Somaiya and Ram Kadam welcomed the court verdict and slammed the BMC, Municipal Commissioner IS Chahal, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Maha Vikas Aghadi government, saying it was a big blow to them and demanded the Mayor's resignation.

A BMC team had undertaken partial demolition at Ranaut's bungalow on September 9, which sparked off massive political furore after which she moved the Bombay HC to challenge the civic body's move, terming it a vendetta. Ranaut made ample headlines in September after reacting to the demolition of her Mumbai home by terming the act as a loss of life of democracy and dragging Pakistan into the matter. She had additionally questioned how the officers may demolish the construction when such a process is banned until September 30 amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Referring to the film business, she additionally requested “Bullywood” to see what fascism appears like. “There is no illegal construction in my house. Also, the government has banned any demolitions in Covid-19 till September 30. Bullywood watch now this is what Fascism looks like,” the actor wrote on her verified account.

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