Sonu Sood, who recently released a book titled “I am no messiah” is in trouble. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has filed a case against him for allegedly converting a six-story residential building to a hotel without getting required permissions.
It has to be noted that the case first caught the limelight in 2019 when Mid Day reported that BMC had returned Sood’s application for approval to convert the residential building to lodging services. At that time, BMC had demanded several compliances.
‘Sonu Sood converted residential building into a hotel without permissions’: BMC
On January 4, BMC filed a complaint with Juhu Police in which they stated that Sonu Sood had converted the Shakti Sagar residential building on AB Nair Road, Juhu into a hotel without getting the required permissions. BMC has asked Juhu police to take cognisance of the offence under the Maharashtra Region and Town Planning (MRTP) Act that deems any unauthorised addition, alterations and change of user illegal.
BMC said, “It has been found that Sonu Sood has instituted/commenced/undertaken/carried out development or changed the user of land. Unauthorised addition/alterations beyond the approved plan and unauthorised change of user from residential to residential hotel building without taking technical sanction from a competent authority.”
BMC further added that Sood had not complied with the notice sent by BMC and has committed a punishable offence under Section 7 of the MRTP Act. “I request you to take cognisance of the offence and deal with the accused according to the law,” BMC added.
As per the reports, Sood had moved to city civil court against the notice but did not get any relief. A civic officer said, “The court had given him 3 weeks’ time to appeal in the high court. Since three weeks passed and he had not restored the alterations and additions as per the approved plan, we have filed a police complaint to register an FIR under the MRTP Act.”
Vishwas Mote, Additional Municipal Commissioner, K-West ward, said, “We are taking action as per procedure.”
Sood’s side of the story
Meanwhile, Sonu Sood has said that he had permissions for change of user from BMC and he was waiting for a clearance from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA). He said, “I have already taken approval for change of user from BMC. It was subject to approval of MCZMA. This permission hasn’t come due to Covid-19. There are no irregularities. I always abide by the law. This hotel was used to house Covid-19 warriors during the pandemic. If permissions don’t come, I will restore it back to a residential structure. I am appealing against BMC’s complaint in the Bombay high court.”
