City’s most powerful dhobi strikes again, stalls clean-up drive
In a bizarre move, the Vakola police on Sunday issued a restraining order barring residents and activists of Santacruz and Vakola from carrying out a clean-up drive on public land as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. On Saturday, the residents had approached the police seeking protection from a local dhobi who was against the drive.
Instead of taking action against the goon, the police strangely issued an order saying they will act against the good Samaritans to prevent a cognisable offence from taking place, under Criminal Procedure Code Section 149.
Mumbai Mirror has reviewed a copy of this order. This is the same dhobi who had featured in Mirror’s front page on October 9, for allegedly usurping a housing society building, the land it stands on, and an adjoining open space in Kalina, all worth over Rs 100 crore.
Members of Voice of Kalina, an Advance Locality Management (ALM) said they informed the Vakola police about a clean up drive under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan on Sunday at Vidyanagar Marg, CST Road and Santacruz. The ALM members sought police protection from Rajesh Kanojia, who runs a dhobi shop opposite Red Rose Apartment, as he was opposed to the drive.
The area around the shop is disputed, with Kanojia and his father claiming ownership of the 1,000-sq mt area. When the ALM asked for protection, the police said the plot’s ownership is under contention and Kanojia’s writ petition is pending in the Bombay High Court.
On Saturday, the police issued a notice to the ALM under Section 149 of the CrPC. The order said if any law and order problem arose, the ALM members will be held responsible and prosecuted.
Locals said Kanojia has encroached upon the land and used legal loopholes to make forged documents, and also cited the EOW cases against him.
“All the orders are in our favour and Kanojia has got no relief from the High Court. The road outside the shop is dirty and is causing health and hygiene issues. We asked for police protection as Kanojia has been aggressive in the past, but what we got on Sunday was policemen guarding Kanojia’s property,” said Naresh Edam, Secretary of Red Rose Apartment nearby.
When Mirror contacted Vakola Senior Inspector Vilas Joshi, who issued the order, he said the land was disputed and hence he could not give permission to the residents to clean the place.
“We asked them to get a letter from BMC regarding the clean up or to keep the clean up on a working day wherein BMC can be contacted,” he said. “We didn’t want a law and order problem and hence issued the notice.”
When Mirror contacted Kanojia he said, “My lawyers communicated to the Lions Club and ALM that I am ready to carry out the clean up operation on my own. I fear that there will be encroachment on my property, which blocks the access road of the building. I have valid documents to prove my ownership and we are cooperating with the EOW which is investigating a case against us.”
Instead of taking action against the goon, the police strangely issued an order saying they will act against the good Samaritans to prevent a cognisable offence from taking place, under Criminal Procedure Code Section 149.
Mumbai Mirror has reviewed a copy of this order. This is the same dhobi who had featured in Mirror’s front page on October 9, for allegedly usurping a housing society building, the land it stands on, and an adjoining open space in Kalina, all worth over Rs 100 crore.
While the police explained away the order saying the property was disputed, the residents questioned how they could be stopped from cleaning a public road.
Members of Voice of Kalina, an Advance Locality Management (ALM) said they informed the Vakola police about a clean up drive under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan on Sunday at Vidyanagar Marg, CST Road and Santacruz. The ALM members sought police protection from Rajesh Kanojia, who runs a dhobi shop opposite Red Rose Apartment, as he was opposed to the drive.
The area around the shop is disputed, with Kanojia and his father claiming ownership of the 1,000-sq mt area. When the ALM asked for protection, the police said the plot’s ownership is under contention and Kanojia’s writ petition is pending in the Bombay High Court.
On Saturday, the police issued a notice to the ALM under Section 149 of the CrPC. The order said if any law and order problem arose, the ALM members will be held responsible and prosecuted.
Locals said Kanojia has encroached upon the land and used legal loopholes to make forged documents, and also cited the EOW cases against him.
“All the orders are in our favour and Kanojia has got no relief from the High Court. The road outside the shop is dirty and is causing health and hygiene issues. We asked for police protection as Kanojia has been aggressive in the past, but what we got on Sunday was policemen guarding Kanojia’s property,” said Naresh Edam, Secretary of Red Rose Apartment nearby.
When Mirror contacted Vakola Senior Inspector Vilas Joshi, who issued the order, he said the land was disputed and hence he could not give permission to the residents to clean the place.
“We asked them to get a letter from BMC regarding the clean up or to keep the clean up on a working day wherein BMC can be contacted,” he said. “We didn’t want a law and order problem and hence issued the notice.”
When Mirror contacted Kanojia he said, “My lawyers communicated to the Lions Club and ALM that I am ready to carry out the clean up operation on my own. I fear that there will be encroachment on my property, which blocks the access road of the building. I have valid documents to prove my ownership and we are cooperating with the EOW which is investigating a case against us.”
