Summary: On November 26, 2025, the Bombay High Court, led by Judge Milind N. Jadhav, decided against several people in a case about unauthorized buildings on land owned by the Nemi Krishna Cooperative Housing Society near Kandivali Railway Station.
This case involves a group of people, including Sunita Ganpat Chougule, who challenged the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) over tearing down their buildings. These buildings were considered unauthorized and built on land belonging to the Nemi Krishna Cooperative Housing Society.
The people involved had filed multiple cases to stop the demolition of their buildings. Their claims were based on documents like census certificates and electricity bills, which they argued showed they had been there for a long time.
"The people involved have no right, ownership, or interest in the land," Judge Jadhav noted, emphasizing the lack of legal ownership.
The buildings in question have a long history of legal disputes dating back to 1999. Previously, the Saibaba Mitra Mandal, representing similar interests, had lost a case up to the Supreme Court, which confirmed the unauthorized status of these buildings.
Judge Jadhav dismissed the appeals, stating that the people involved had hidden facts and misled the court by not disclosing previous cases. The court emphasized that these buildings were illegal and unauthorized.
"These people are nothing but illegal street vendors and land grabbers," the judgment stated, highlighting the misuse of legal processes to delay eviction.
The court imposed significant fines on the people involved for their actions. Those represented by Mr. Naphade were fined Rs. 25,000 each, while those represented by Mr. Thorat were fined Rs. 50,000 each, payable to the Kirtikar Law Library, High Court, Mumbai.
Judge Jadhav refused to grant any further temporary relief, ending a 26-year saga of legal protection for these unauthorized buildings. The decision sends a strong message against illegal takeovers and emphasizes the importance of following the law in Mumbai.
