In a recent decision by Judge Milind N. Jadhav of the Bombay High Court, eight buildings near Kandivali Railway Station in Mumbai have been ordered to be torn down. The case involves the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) and several people claiming they own these buildings.
The people involved in this case include Shabbiruddin Badruddin Ansari and others who filed separate cases trying to stop the MCGM from tearing down their buildings. These buildings are on land owned by the Nemi Krishna Cooperative Housing Society, near Kandivali Station.
The argument goes back to 1998, involving buildings put up without permission near Kandivali Station. The land belongs to the Nemi Krishna Cooperative Housing Society. Shabbiruddin Badruddin Ansari and the others said they have been there a long time and showed documents like census certificates and electricity bills to prove it.
The buildings were part of an earlier court case involving 27 stalls represented by Saibaba Mitra Mandal. This case started in 1999 and went on until 2024, ending with a Supreme Court decision against Shabbiruddin Badruddin Ansari and the others.
"The buildings were put up without permission or were unauthorized," the court said in earlier decisions.
Judge Jadhav dismissed the appeals, saying that Shabbiruddin Badruddin Ansari and the others hid details of earlier court cases. The court emphasized that they had no legal right to be on the land and pointed out the misuse of the legal system.
"These people are nothing but illegal street vendors and land grabbers," the judgment stated.
The court ordered Shabbiruddin Badruddin Ansari and the others to pay fines for their actions. Two of them were told to pay ₹25,000 each, while the other six were ordered to pay ₹50,000 each to the Kirtikar Law Library, High Court, Mumbai. These amounts must be paid within two weeks.
The judgment highlights the court's position against buildings put up without permission and the misuse of the legal system. The request for temporary relief was also rejected, reinforcing the court's decision to uphold the law.
This case shows the legal system's role in dealing with unauthorized buildings and protecting public spaces.
