Order to demolish Narayan Rane's bungalow withdrawn, Maharashtra tells HC

The Maharashtra government informed the Bombay high court on Tuesday that it had withdrawn an order issued by a sub-divisional officer of the coastal zone management committee to demolish some portion of Union minister Narayan Rane's bungalow in Juhu area in Mumbai.

The state government told a bench of Justices Amjad Sayed and Abhay Ahuja that it had withdrawn the March 21 order and authorities will consider Rane's application for regularisation of the alleged irregularities in his bungalow before taking any action.

The bench accepted the state's submission and granted it the liberty to take any fresh requisite action on the issue "in accordance with law".

Rane had approached the high court earlier this month, seeking that the notices (February 25, March 4 and 16) issued to him be quashed.

He had said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was yet to decide on the regularisation application and therefore, the state's demolition notice, warning him that all illegal construction or extensions made to the bungalow would be demolished within eight days, was illegal.

The court had then held that the state authorities could not proceed with the demolition without giving a fair hearing to Rane's application for regularisation.

On Tuesday, Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, who appeared for the state government, told the bench that "reserving its right to take requisite action in future, the Maharashtra government had decided to withdraw the March 21 communication, or order" on demolition of parts of Rane's Juhu bungalow.

The bench accepted the state government's statement and disposed of the plea.