Quick Summary: Mumtaz Khoja's fight for her rightful home takes a twist as the court dismisses her request for a review, saying she hid important information and wasted resources.
Mumtaz H. Khoja filed a request to review the case against the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) and a developer, Pioneer India Developers. She argued that she was wrongly denied a home under a slum program and wanted back rent for temporary housing since 2009. Her case was initially dismissed, but the Supreme Court allowed her to have it reviewed.
Mumtaz's lawyer, Mr. Naphade, argued that there was a mix-up. The room supposedly given to her was actually given to a school run by a trust. She claimed that the SRA didn't check these facts, leading to her request being unfairly dismissed.
"The Court failed to verify the allegations and dismissed her petition unjustly," argued Mr. Naphade.
The developers and SRA argued that Mumtaz was already given temporary housing and didn't return one of the rooms. They accused her of hiding facts and misleading the court to get more benefits.
The court, led by Judges Kamal Khata and A.S. Gadkari, found that Mumtaz had not been honest. She owned multiple properties, including a clinic and a school, but tried to make it seem like she was in need.
"Hiding or concealing important facts is not Advocacy. It is manipulation," the court noted.
The court dismissed the review request with a large penalty of Rs. 5,00,000 to be paid to the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund. They also started legal action against Mumtaz for misleading the court.
The court ordered an investigation into how a school was allowed to operate in a slum without proper permissions, putting children's safety at risk.
"The facts reveal dangers to young children and the neglect of authorities," the court remarked.
The court decided that Mumtaz Khoja was not honest in her claims and had misled the court. As a result, her request for a review was dismissed, and she was fined Rs. 5,00,000. The court also decided to investigate the operation of the school in the slum area.
