BMC files affidavit in response to Kangana's plea, alleges 'abuse of process' by actor

In response to the Bombay High Court's order, the Brihanmumbai Municipal corporation (BMC) has filed an affidavit alleging that the petition filed by Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut on Wednesday after they partially demolished her office in Mumbai “constitutes an abuse of process, as the record establishes that part of work was ongoing in the premises’’. Senior counsel Aspi Chinoy, senior counsel Anil Sakhare and advocate Joel Carlos represented BMC as they filed their response in the High Court at 3 PM on Thursday. They have also stated in the affidavit that the actor has unlawfully made substantial alterations.

Read | Kangana Ranaut's sister Rangoli Chandel enters office damaged by BMC amid heavy security

Further, BMC representatives in the high court have alleged that Kangana has made “false, baseless and unwarranted allegations of “harassment” and “malafides’’ and she should not be permitted to seek protection for such “unlawful work by approaching the Bombay HC. Also, Kangana's lawyer has been asked to make amendments to the application filed on Wednesday seeking relief. Kangana Ranaut has been ordered to file the relevant documents by September 14 while BMC is to file their reply by September 18. The hearing on the matter has been adjourned to September 22.

Read | Sanjay Raut issues first response on BMC's Kangana office demolition; makes quick escape

As per sources, the BMC had in its affidavit demanded that Kangana should get 3 days to present her side in the matter. The BMC, on Wednesday, proceeded to demolish a portion of Kangana's Manikarnika Films office at Pali Hill in Mumbai whilst the actor was still enroute to the city from Himachal Pradesh via Chandigarh. The shocking move by the civic body has since been condemned by many on social media. The action was also called out in scathing terms by the Bombay High Court which stayed it about 3 hours after it began and sought a reply from the BMC on Kangana's plea seeking a stay on the demolition.

Read | Two complaints filed against Kangana Ranaut for remarks on CM Uddhav, 'disrupting harmony'

Pulling up Mumbai's civic body BMC for its partial demolition of Kangana Ranaut's Pali Hill office, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday, said that BMC's actions were not bonafide, smacking of 'malafide'. In the order accessed by Republic TV, the HC bench comprising of Justices S J Kathawalla and R I Chagla, notes that the civic body had woken up from its slumber 'overnight' regarding 'unauthorised' works. The Bombay High Court has stayed BMC's demolition and told it to reply to the petitioner by 3:00 PM on Thursday.

Read | BMC's double standards exposed: Manish Malhotra gets a week, Kangana gets bulldozer